The return of retail

This year's International Council of Shopping Centers' Florida convention was punctuated by a new, larger venue and energy reminiscent of a decade ago -- signs that retail is once again a hot commodity.

But unlike past confabs, the 2015 ICSC gathering in Orlando's Orange County Convention Center — a shift from the smaller Gaylord Palms — had few new strip centers or malls for the roughly 3,600 participants to ogle. Instead, emerging grocery store chains, restaurants and alternative retailers captured most of the buzz.

“The big push, without a doubt, is with grocers,” says Paul Rutledge, a retail specialist and first vice president with commercial brokerage firm CBRE Inc. “And now, there are all new players.”