Your location isn’t working

The problem

When foot traffic or visibility isn’t there, the rent becomes harder to carry every month. Staying put and hoping can drain the business. Leaving without a plan can leave you owing the rest of the lease.

What I do about it

First I help you work out whether it’s the location or something else. Then I look at the options in order of ease: better signage or terms, a rent change, a sublease or assignment, an early exit, or a move to a better spot.

What your landlord wants

A landlord wants an occupied, busy property. A struggling tenant is a risk to them too, so many would rather adjust terms or help you transfer the lease than end up with an empty unit.

Where everybody wins

A clear proposal that protects the landlord’s income gives you a way forward, whether that’s staying on better terms or moving on cleanly.

First, find out if it’s the location

Before anything else, it’s worth an honest look. Is it foot traffic, visibility, parking, the side of the street people walk on, a co-tenant that left, construction, or something about the business itself? I can walk the block with you and look at it the way a marketer would, because for 15 years that was my job.

If the location is the problem

• Renegotiate. If you’re a good tenant in a soft spot, some landlords will trade rent relief now for a longer commitment, or help with signage and visibility.
• Relocate. A move costs money, so it has to buy you something measurable, such as better traffic, a corner, or a stronger co-tenant.
• Sublease or assign. Another business may be a better fit for the space. See assignment and sublease.

Picking the next spot

Retail and restaurant locations are about who walks past, when, and why. I compare corridors against your actual customers before we tour, look at end caps versus in-line units, and check things first-timers miss: venting, power, grease trap, patio rules, signage bylaws and parking. More on retail and restaurant space.

Questions people ask

Can I get out of a retail lease if business is slow?

Slow sales alone don’t usually end a lease. Common routes are negotiating with the landlord, assigning the lease to a buyer of your business, or subletting. Check your lease and talk to a lawyer before you stop paying anything.