A Friday Social Media Recap

1. The Costco-at-2pm Economy

Brandon throws out a simple observation: go to Costco at 2 p.m. on a weekday and it’s full of young people in athleisure just wandering the aisles. You catch yourself wondering,

“Do these people not work?”

Then you realize… they do. They just work from home.

My Thoughts about this post:

• Daytime population has quietly shifted away from traditional office cores, but it may be shifting back?

• “Third places” (Costco, coffee, gyms, fast casual) are capturing the midday bodies that areas around office complexes/CBDs used to capture

• The flexibility of your schedule to get sh!t done during weird hours as a CRE broker may be gone.

2. The Under-5 Map That Should Scare Big Coastal Cities

Bobby drops a brutal chart: the change in population of kids under 5 in major cities from 2005–2024.

• Sun Belt & growth markets: Austin +98%, Orlando +89%, Raleigh +87%

• Legacy coastal markets: Chicago -31%, New York -34%, LA -36%, San Francisco -38%

My thoughts about this post:

• Fewer young kids today = fewer families later = different long-term demand profiles for schools, neighborhood retail, and family-centric housing.

• It reinforces what a lot of owners are already betting on: family-oriented, drivable, relatively affordable metros are where the future tenant base is growing.

• Overall, I think this data might be somewhat skewed. Although the family may not be living in Los Angeles or other tier 1 cities, they are still within a 30-minute to 1-hour commute of them. The entire country is becoming like Houston, where Houston is 1 hour away from Houston.

3. Missing the 1980s Atrium Lobby Era

Jason admits something a lot of us secretly feel: 1980s atrium hotel lobbies were insane… and unbelievably awesome.

Sure, they weren’t the most efficient use of space. But the drama? The energy? The spectacle?
Modern “efficient” design just doesn’t hit the same.

My thoughts on this post:

• Everyone loves an atrium building… until you’re the owner or a tenant. There’s much more upkeep involved than it seems on the surface, as the glass roofs of the atrium need repair, and fewer groups want to work on them or know how to do so. The load factor can be through the roof (literally), and unless a landlord is willing to absorb some of it, it can become a nightmare for tenants.

4. Dirt Dog vs. The Landlord

My thoughts on this post:

• Chris Hatch and his team of Dirt Dogs continue to lead the drive-through development market. Following his account on X is both entertaining and highly informative, offering a rare inside look into how these STNL deals are completed from start to finish.

• It also highlights the high demand for properties that can support a drive-through, given the ever-growing list of national drive-through users.

5. Turning a Solo Shop Into an Actual Company

In another post, Brandon announces he’s hiring an Operations Manager / Chief of Staff in Houston for Aspire Commercial.

My thoughts on this post:

This text is a great example of how a business owner in today’s world can leverage a viral meme like “May I Meet You” to capture attention not only for their brand but also for their needs.

Memes will continue to help regular businesses out-hire, outgrow, and gain market share in today’s doom-scroll economy.

6. Bethany Babcock and the Talent Pipeline Conversation

Bethany is one of the best voices in retail CRE. She runs Foresite in San Antonio and built the CRE Launch Program—a real training pipeline for new brokers that goes far beyond “here’s a phone, good luck.”

My thoughts on this post:

• This post perfectly illustrates why not every "no" you receive from a landlord's team should be taken at face value.

• It also highlights the importance of truly understanding the unique language at a shopping center, and that "coffee" isn't always just "coffee."

• If you have a strong tenant and identify a great spot for them, you should make sure to explore every possibility before moving on. Avoid saying "No" or "This one won't work" until you hear it directly from the source.

New Holiday Sweater Drop

I know it's early, but I wanted to share this in time for the holiday party season. I had fun making it and hope you enjoy it too! If you wear it to holiday parties or while scrolling TikTok, tag us on social media and we'll share!

P.S.

You may be thinking, "Where has this person been?" and to be honest, I'm thinking the same thing.

What started out as a plan to take a break from the newsletter for the summer turned into uncertainty about when I would return to it. This year has been busy, but it became overwhelming in July and August.

I'm starting to feel back in the rhythm where I can begin putting more content out here, but it will probably take a little while to return to a normal schedule. I want this to be something I can enjoy and not feel like it's "work" necessarily. I'm hoping it can just be another avenue for me to connect with more of the community.

If you're still here, I appreciate you! If you decided this haphazardly done newsletter isn't your cup of tea, I appreciate you too!

Looking forward to putting out more fun content on here soon!

-CRC

That’s all for now! I appreciate everyone who’s been part of this community across all the different social media platforms. My goal with this newsletter is to dive deeper into various aspects of the CRE industry, with a focus on the brokerage side. I aim to bring the same levity and reality to these insights as I’ve done with the memes.

If you have any input, feedback, or questions, feel free to reach out. The DMs, emails, and real-life connections have been some of the coolest experiences along this journey.

-CapRateCraig