Retail Strategies outlines multi‑year retail recruitment plan for South Fulton, cites grocery shortfall and data tools

Mel Graves, portfolio director for Retail Strategies, told the City of South Fulton council on Sept. 17 that his firm's year‑two work will concentrate on national and regional grocery and restaurant prospects, corridor‑level site assessments and new technology to produce custom trade areas and mobile data analyses. "We identified about 60 prospects that we want to go after," Graves said, adding that grocery and food‑and‑beverage uses were prioritized after community feedback and the market analysis.

The nut graf: Retail recruitment is a long timeline and a team sport, Graves said — site selection often spans 18–36 months for typical retail users and 3–5 years for grocers — and the city must coordinate zoning, permitting, property owners and developers early in projects to keep prospects engaged.

Graves described Retail Strategies’ role as an extension of city economic development staff: providing prospect lists to brokers and developers, marketing collateral for catalytic sites and outreach at industry conferences (ICSC Southeast in Atlanta and other trade shows). He highlighted two corridors with active work: Old National Highway (Tri‑County Center vacancy and Old National Commons) and Sandtown Crossing/Sandtown Village. On Old National, Graves said new ownership of a center that includes a 32,000‑square‑foot vacancy created a 2026 tenant possibility and a conversation about façade, lighting and parking improvements.

On technology, Retail Strategies said the firm contracted with Calibrate to generate custom trade areas and with a mobile‑data provider to analyze where customers actually come from. Graves showed a trade‑area map for Sandtown Crossing and said the new data allow the team to show retailers precisely where shoppers originate and how many cars pass a location daily.

Council members pressed the firm on policy barriers the city may be imposing. Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis raised the city’s gas‑station ordinance and a smoking ban as potential deterrents. Graves said Retail Strategies can collect developer and prospect feedback on permitting and zoning processes but had not yet fully participated in the city’s internal permitting review. "We want to be at the table for those conversations," he said.

Council questions also covered marketing collateral, district‑level engagement and small/local business recruitment. Graves said Retail Strategies produces a large city‑level promotional flyer and property‑level packets for catalytic sites, and that the firm will help convene brokers, developers and potential franchisees. He confirmed two active conversations with grocers and one potential municipal grocery public‑private partnership.

What happens next: Graves said Retail Strategies will report back to city staff in late October/early November with conference outcomes and prospect feedback; the firm and staff plan quarterly updates and more targeted outreach tied to the comprehensive plan and the Sizemore catalytic‑site work.

Ending: Council members praised the presentation and asked staff to continue coordination; several urged town halls or district‑level outreach so residents better understand retail timelines, tradeoffs among uses (mixed‑use vs. single‑use retail) and how planning decisions (zoning, ordinances) affect recruitment.

(Reporting note: quotes and attributes are drawn from the Sept. 17 City Council meeting transcript.)