Retail’s Comeback Story with Carol Schillne

In this episode of PlotLines, Heather and Britni sit down with Carol Schillne, Senior Vice President at Orion Investment Real Estate, to explore what many are calling a retail renaissance. Carol shares her insights from more than three decades in the retail real estate world, where she’s worked as a broker, developer, and retail operator. From grocery-anchored centers to experiential retail and entertainment pop-ups, Carol discusses how the retail landscape is being reimagined across the country. She also highlights the regions seeing the most momentum—especially growth markets like Arizona, Texas, and Florida—and how landlords are embracing placemaking, flexibility, and innovation to drive value. The conversation also dives into how mixed-use development, digitally native brands, and franchise expansion are redefining what anchors and tenant mixes look like today. Tune in to hear how retail is not just recovering, but becoming one of the most dynamic stories in commercial real estate.