Retail expansion advisory means finding the right cities, streets and units before rent is committed. UNIQUE RETAIL supports retail, food and leisure brands entering Germany and growing their store network – from network planning and site analysis to the signed lease. The work is based on our own location database, which records the tenant mix of the key shopping streets building by building.
Key facts
- For whom: international brands before market entry, chains with a growth plan, online brands opening their first stores, and food and leisure concepts.
- What: network planning, site analysis, space search, lease negotiation and support through to handover.
- Where: prime locations in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf as well as other German city centres.
- How: our own survey of the tenant mix rather than purchased lists – the location database UNIQUE ADRS.
How retail expansion advisory works
- Target picture and network planning. How many stores, in which cities, in what order? Space profile, rent budget and timeline are fixed before the search begins. Our guide to retail expansion strategy describes the process.
- Site analysis. Location, footfall direction, neighbouring tenants and frequency are assessed street by street. Who sits to the left and right, and where the prime pitch ends, often matters more than the city itself.
- Space search. Suitable units come from the market and from approaching landlords directly. Smaller, flexible formats widen the choice – see our article on retail right-sizing.
- Lease negotiation. What counts is the cost over the full term, not the headline rent: rent-free periods, fit-out contributions and stepped rents belong in one calculation. Our article on effective rent versus headline rent shows how.
- Lease and handover. Support through to the signed lease and the handover of the unit.
Which brands benefit
Demand for prime German locations increasingly comes from abroad: according to a major market survey, international retailers accounted for 67 percent of the retail space let in Germany in the third quarter of 2026. Brands new to the market know their own concept and target group, but rarely the difference between two sides of the same street. Background is provided in our analysis of international retail brands in Germany.
Requirements differ by concept. Beauty and lifestyle brands usually look for compact units with wide frontage, as the beauty expansion in German prime locations shows. Food concepts need ventilation, outdoor space and delivery access. Our MAPIC 2026 review summarises which brands are currently heading for Europe.
Locations at a glance
For these shopping streets in Germany, the tenant mix is recorded building by building. Streets with a coloured background have a detailed street profile.
In addition, the database covers shopping streets in ten other European cities, from London and Paris to Milan. All locations can be found in UNIQUE ADRS.
An initial conversation clarifies target cities, space profile and timeline.
Frequently asked questions about retail expansion advisory
What does a retail expansion advisor do?
The advisor plans in which cities and streets a brand opens stores, searches for suitable units, assesses locations and negotiates the leases. The aim is locations that fit the concept and pay off over the lease term.
When should a brand start looking for locations?
Early. Between the first analysis and the opening lie the search, negotiation, permits and fit-out. Good units in prime locations are often let before they are publicly marketed.
Which cities are suitable for entering the German market?
Most international brands start in the major cities such as Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf and then expand into further large cities. Which city comes first depends on target group, price point and space requirements.
How does advisory differ from pure brokerage?
Advisory starts before the individual unit: with network planning, site analysis and an assessment of the rent burden. UNIQUE RETAIL draws on its own survey of the tenant mix in 147 shopping streets.
Figures on the location database: UNIQUE ADRS, as of October 2026.