Austin’s retail and restaurant market is rapidly becoming one of the hippest and most dynamic scenes in the country, as new concepts are flocking to the state capital in lockstep with its remarkable job and population growth. The push by both new and established retailers and restaurants to grab a piece of the Austin pie has driven the city’s retail occupancy rate to roughly 93 percent. Annual rent growth has exceeded 10 percent at Class A properties in submarkets such as the Central Business District (CBD) and East Austin. But while demand for retail and restaurant space in Austin’s urban core is at an all-time high, so too are rates of turnover among these users. A Gentrified Market The driving factors behind these trends are fairly straightforward. Buoyed by the still-surging job growth in the tech industry, the median age of Austin’s population is getting lower, currently sitting at about 34 years. Many of these residents have high-paying jobs, are new to the city and are eager to take advantage of its thriving food, beverage and entertainment options. The gentrification of some of Austin’s historic neighborhoods is well underway and expected to continue in the near future as tech giants …
