By Natalie Dolce | May 13, 2026 | As published by GlobeSt.com
As retail leaders head into ICSC Las Vegas, Southern California is offering a preview of where neighborhood shopping centers may be headed next: fewer rigid leasing rules, faster municipal approvals and a growing willingness to rethink what fills empty space.
The region’s retail market is entering the second half of the year with cautious momentum, even as landlords continue to backfill vacancies left by a wave of national chain closures. According to Chris Premac, vice president of retail brokerage at Coreland Companies, the balance between limited new supply and ongoing “right-sizing” is helping stabilize conditions.
“Southern California retail is in a good position heading into the second half of the year,” Premac said.
That relative stability is notable given the number of mid-box vacancies created by bankruptcies and store downsizings from retailers such as Rite Aid, JOANN and Party City. With little new construction coming online, landlords are being forced to get more creative about how quickly and effectively they can reposition existing space.
One of the clearest shifts is coming from grocery-anchored centers, long known for strict leasing controls that limited adjacent uses. Premac said that stance is beginning to soften as grocers recognize the broader impact of empty storefronts.
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