FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Courtney Hall
Retail Strategies
chall@retailstrategies.com
BIRMINGHAM, AL (July 8, 2025) – Community leaders from Santa Rosa, California recently participated in Retail Academy, a comprehensive retail education program developed by Retail Strategies. The in-market training, held in April, provided city officials with essential tools and knowledge to attract new retail opportunities and prepare for ICSC Las Vegas, the largest national retail real estate conference.
The daylong session provided the organization’s economic development and redevelopment teams with critical insights into local consumer data, retail and restaurant brand alignment, and available real estate assets. The training also focused on actionable approaches to recruiting and retaining businesses that fit the unique character and needs of Sonoma County.
“Participating in Retail Academy has been transformative for Santa Rosa’s economic development approach. Having access to foundational market data and understanding our viable real estate options has been crucial for our success,” said Scott Adair, ACE, Chief Development Officer for the City of Santa Rosa.
“The training equipped our team with the skills to effectively pitch retailers on site-specific opportunities that truly fit their requirements, I was thoroughly impressed with the Retail Academy team’s expertise and their ability to provide actionable insights that we could immediately implement at ICSC Las Vegas,” finished Adair.
During the Retail Academy program, Santa Rosa officials received:
- Comprehensive consumer and market data analysis
- Training on identifying ideal real estate for retail development within Santa Rosa
- An overview of various databases for finding retail real estate and industry professionals
- Practical training on making proactive outreach to expanding businesses, brokers, and developers
- Guidance on preparation for retail real estate trade shows and events, including ICSC Las Vegas
“Understanding the nuances of retail site selection and having access to crucial market data is vital for any city’s growth,” said Madeline Farr, director of Retail Academy. “Our goal is to empower Santa Rosa’s leaders with the knowledge, data, and strategy needed to drive economic development. The city is well-positioned to leverage their strategic location and market strengths to attract the next wave of retail development.”
The training directly prepared Santa Rosa’s team for their participation in ICSC Las Vegas, one of the retail industry’s premier networking and deal-making events, where they were able to apply their newly acquired skills in real-time conversations with potential retailers and developers.
About Retail Academy
Retail Academy is a program developed by the leading national retail advisory firm, Retail Strategies. The program assists communities in strengthening their retail landscape. Communities will be trained and equipped with the tools and education necessary to attract new retailers to their markets, while providing support to their existing local businesses.
