Fitness centers increasing their presence in shopping centers

CoStar reported that health clubs and gyms accounted for 8.8% of new leases signed so far this year by retail chains in the U.S., according to a story yesterday in The Wall Street Journal. At this point last year health clubs and gyms accounted for 7.9% of new leases by retail chains.

U.S. health clubs now occupy more than 70 million square feet, a 57% increase since 2007. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association says that health club membership increased 10.8% in 2010 to more than 50 million members. Membership had been relatively stagnant for several years.

The story quotes representatives from Gold's Gym and L.A. Fitness, both of whom are planning to expand. Gold's Gym, which currently has 500 U.S. locations, intends to add 17 sites this year and 30 next year. L.A. Fitness has 370 clubs and plans to open 250 more in the next five years.

Retail sales and vacancy rates at odds in recent reports, but wait...

Sales: According to Thomson Reuters data on 25 major chains, retail sales in the U.S. increased 1.7% in March, despite a late Easter, high unemployment and rising gasoline prices. Analysts had expected that sales would fall 0.7%. And according to a story in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. retailers expect solid spring sales, despite gas prices, inflation and lackluster consumer confidence. Global consumer strategist Don Palmer says many retailers are actually raising prices more than they have to in order to test their pricing power with customers.

But wait... Mr. Palmer points out there is risk in this pricing strategy, as resistance to rising prices will be delayed and hit later, possibly during the critical back-to-school or holiday sales season.

Vacancy rates: According to Reis, vacancies at neighborhood and community shopping centers, which are usually anchored by discount and grocery stores, rose to 10.9% in the first quarter from 10.7% a year earlier. The rate was unchanged from the three previous quarters and the highest since it reached 11% in 1991. The vacancy rate for regional malls hit 9.1%, also the highest rate since 1991.


But wait... CoStar Group said the vacancy rate for all types of U.S. retail properties (including freestanding stores, malls, strip malls and community shopping centers) fell to 7.1% in the first quarter from 7.4% a year earlier. Furthermore, retail properties overall have had net occupancy gains for seven quarters. More consumer spending and corporate hiring has helped, according to one of CoStar's senior real estate strategists.

There you have it.