The incredible shrinking store

Faced with heightened competition and the growing stature of e-commerce, Gulf Coast retailers are increasingly turning to smaller stores to compete.

While smaller stores trim construction, inventory and labor costs, they also have implications for developers, suppliers and consumers, experts say. The trend has prompted landlords to rethink the role of traditional retail anchors at lifestyle centers, malls and strip centers nationwide.

In Florida, electronics specialty stores like Best Buy and Verizon have shrunk store sizes to better compete with discounters and online purveyors, while merchants like Bealls, Target and Wal-Mart have experimented with smaller, more product-focused stores for “infill” and urban locations.