Evening star., 1938-04-16
RETAIL SHOP
AREAS ANALYZED
100 Per Cent Locations
Are Found to Vary in
Few Respects.

The 100 per cent" locations for
retail business in l52 principal cities
of the country as they are listed by
Mark Levy. Chicago, former chairman
Of the Brokers Division of the Ma
tional Association of Real Estate
Boards and recognized authority on
chain store locations and long-term
commercial leasing, are published in
the current issue of the journal Of
Real Estate Management, technical
quarterly of the Institute Of Real
Estate Management, professional body
in this field.
Comparative rent levels of the 100
per cent business locations of the
country. the large part women shop
pers have had in creating these dis
tricts and the way chain stores are
making use of the hot" spots are
analyzed by Mr.. Levy, president of
Mark Levy Realty Co.. former presi-
dent of the Chicago Real Estate Board
and now serving his seventh consecu-
tive year as treasurer of the National
Association of Real Estate Boards.
nSNui olCly SOlilpiICu StdllSllCS ulS-
close that women are the actual pur-
chasers or the motivating force behind
approximately IS per cent Of all mer-
chandise sold at retail This fact is
OF primary Importance to retail mer-
chandising organizations Women and
retail trade are inseparable and retail
trade is the basis upon which 100 per
icfr or ,,,il 4,
And he goes so far as to give the fol-
lowing as one definition of a 100 per
cent retail district: "A definitely cir
cumscribed area in a community where
the women do most of the shopping
Definitions of Areas.
These are his two more conventional
definitions: The business section of
community where the greatest
amount of retail trade is transacted"
and that spot in a community where
a merchant can render the greatest
service and reap the greatest profit"
The idea which formerly prevailed.
that the location which is passed by
the greatest number. of pedestrians
Is the most desirable has been dis
sipated," Mr. Levy says. Any pedes-
trian count, to be of value to pro-
spective merchandising organization,
must be carefully analyzed in the
light of the type of pedestrian, his
or her ultimate destination, and, most
important. whether the pedestrian be
man or woman.
'Is there any uniformity of rent
levels in 100 per cent locations in
various cities? I believe that the
answer to this question must def
nitely be in the negative. Some uni
formity may exist in large metropoli-
tan centers, but I believe that this
is matter governed by the similarity
Of the backgrounds of the locations
rather than by any design upon the
part of owners or merchants. Surely
1t could not be said with any degree
Of certainty that 100 per cent loca-
tion for variety and 10 cent store
is the same in Chicago as it is in
Cleveland New York. Philadelphia
etc, because it is 100 per cent loca-
ton in any of these places. If a
similarity exists in rental value it
Is because the merchandising posi-
bilities Volume of business, competi-
ton and potential profit are similar
and for no other reason.
Variance in Sizes.
THE question as to whether 100
per cent districts in all cities are
approximately the same size has also
been put to me, and it is my definite
opinion that this question must also
be answered in the negative. Speak
ing now of only that downtown 100
per cent section, I find that there is
a great variance in size, even in cities
OF somewhat similar population. For
example, in Los Angeles, Calf, the
100 per cent district extends a dis
tance of approximately 1885 front
feet in three blocks on the west side
Of Broadway from Fourth street to
Eighth street. In Brooklyn, N. Y,
the 100 per cent district is located
on the south side of Fulton street
from Nevins street to Gallatin place,
about four blocks, covering approx
mately 1877 front feet.
All tIlS OLUTlCt
may cover a somewhat larger area,
cross from one side of the street to
the other, or extend to adjoining or
intersecting streets.
Not every location in a 100 per
cent district is 100 per cent location
for every type of business. A single
location may be 100 per cent for a
ladies ready-to-wear store, for ex-
ample, and might prove to be only
20 per cent for a mems store. In
the ladies group it is usually found
that preference exists for location
on the shady side of the street. This
preference may be laid to the fact
that women like to shop leisurely and
to look in the store windows as they
pass. Men are not essentially window
lockers Actually, the average man
objects to shopping on crowded streets
and prefers that his stores be located
away from heavy female traffic.
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