BIRMINGHAM, AL (August 1, 2026) – Situated along the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities region of northwest Illinois, East Moline has selected Retail Strategies, a national retail recruitment and economic development consulting firm as its partner for retail recruitment.
East Moline is a powerhouse in heavy industrial and advanced manufacturing, and that strong economic base has long provided the high disposable income that sustains the local retail market. With that foundation in place, city leaders are now focused on ensuring residents have access to the retail and restaurant options that match their community’s growth and quality of life.
“East Moline has the industrial strength to support a thriving retail environment, and this partnership is about making sure our residents don’t have to leave town to get the shopping and dining experiences they want,” said Mark Rothert, City Administrator for East Moline. “Success for us looks like new retail and restaurant anchors signed or opened in East Moline, sales tax revenue that grows beyond where it stood three years ago, and more of our residents’ retail spending staying right here in East Moline instead of leaking out to neighboring communities.
Through the partnership, Retail Strategies will work alongside the City to attract retail attraction and site development at several key locations, including The Bend, the Rust Belt corridor along 12th Avenue, and the downtown district along 15th and 16th Avenues.
East Moline is also supporting commercial investment through its Business Improvement Grant (BIG) Program, which provides financial assistance for eligible building, façade, site, and tenant improvements. The program complements the City’s retail recruitment efforts by helping property owners and businesses prepare locations for new investment, expansion, or moving promising projects from initial interest toward implementation.
“East Moline is a community with real economic momentum, and our team is looking forward to helping the City translate that manufacturing strength into a retail landscape that serves its residents well. We’re excited to get to work identifying the right retailers and restaurant concepts for sites like The Bend, the Rust Belt corridor, and downtown” said John Tiedt, Director of Community Partnerships at Retail Strategies.
As part of the partnership, Retail Strategies will:
- Act as a consultant to the City, leveraging its industry connections to attract new businesses to the market
- Provide the City with data and marketing materials that showcase East Moline to the retail and development community
- Identify gaps in the local retail market
- Work directly with property owners, landlords, brokers, and developers to match the right retail concepts with the right real estate
- Represent East Moline at national and regional industry conferences, including ICSC Midwest and ICSC Las Vegas
About Retail Strategies
Retail Strategies is the national expert in retail recruitment and community development. Our mission is to provide the real estate expertise, tools, and human effort that position deserving communities as attractive locations for retailers, restaurants, and commercial investment. Acting as an extension of local staff, Retail Strategies combines market analysis, retail outreach, and industry relationships to help communities recruit businesses that strengthen local economies and improve quality of life. Retail Strategies has partnered with more than 1,000 communities across the United States to turn retail opportunities into real economic development outcomes.
###
