The Voice of Retail What to Expect in a Re-Opened Retail Real Estate Market
Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.
Retail real estate has been fundamentally shaken up by the pandemic. Between lockdowns for non-essential services and accelerated eCommerce growth, investigating the health of retail through the lens of the real estate market offers a wealth of information.
This special episode of The Voice of Retail features an interview picked up from my weekly livestream that I co-host with Retail Council of Canada on the last week of June.
Get an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the Canadian retail marketplace from the expert perspective of Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Managing Director of Retail Services, John Crombie.
In this interview, my co-host for the evening, Karl Littler (RCC’s Senior Vice President of Public Affairs), and I call on John’s professional experience and research to unlock new information about the retail marketplace. From malls to warehouses, we discuss the need for technological innovation, changing real estate prices and new opportunities to keep up with evolving consumer behaviour.
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Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.
I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!
Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!
About John Crombie:
An innovative leader with a proven track record in business, brokerage and commercial real estate across Canada and internationally for over 25 years.
Acknowledged as one of the top 20 influencers in the World of Real Estate in Canada in 2018, and one of the six recipients worldwide to win the Global Medallion ICSC Award for contribution to Retail Research in Canada, in 2016
An industry expert and thought leader on the Canadian real estate market. A strategic thinker with a strong technical background and a passion for innovation.
Recognized for insightful knowledge and forward thinking of the retail real estate market, a noted keynote speaker at industry events, conventions and seminars and frequent contributor to articles and news reports in various publications including the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Canadian Business, BNN and CTV television.
Actively participates in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Council for the Commercial Real Estate & Development (CRED) industry as an Advisory Partner.
• Deep experience in leasing, acquisitions, operations, property management and asset management
• A leader and mentor committed to people and team development through sales coaching
• Expert negotiator and a strategic thinker with an innovative approach to portfolio strategies
• Knowledgeable on research insights and in-depth analysis of commercial real estate and retail
• Proficient in business development with a client focused – win/win - approach to business
• Strong governance relations expertise with a commitment to community contribution
Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.
Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.
Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.
Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.