National real estate developers as forces for chains

Shake Shack, Bryant Park, New York City. Flickr photo by Tricia Wang.

I've mentioned from time to time how as real estate development becomes organized on a national basis, national shopping center companies develop national agreements with national retail store chains covering dozens or hundreds of properties, which is one more factor making it almost impossible for locally owned stores (except franchises) to function in the new commercial developments.

Businessweek has a story, "How Danny Meyer Is Going Global: The restaurateur is linking up with Related, a real estate giant that will take his brands worldwide into stadiums, parks, and other properties," about how the Related Companies have inked a deal with Shake Shack and the restaurant impresario Danny Meyer to put his restaurants in their properties across the county.

This is an example of how big companies are also more comfortable dealing with other big companies, even on a comparative basis.

Separately, last week's Dining section in the New York Times has a review of Shake Shack, "The Burger Remains a Work in Progress: Shake Shack Struggles With Inconsistency," and there are outposts in DC and elsewhere. Expansion and focusing on the quality of the experience remains an issue apparently.