Investment Matters: Lifestyle Center Leader

After starting his career as an engineer, Josh Poag switched gears and went on to lead the family business. Photo courtesy of Poag Development Group

Brick and mortar retail is on a roll again, and that’s no surprise to Josh Poag. The pendulum, he points out, always swings back. And he’s in a good position to know.

As the CEO of Poag Development Group—and with more than a quarter century in the business—Poag leads a firm whose predecessor developed the first purpose-built lifestyle center in the U.S. These days, Poag Development is still out in front. At a time when new retail projects are still relatively rare, the company is planning what’s believed to be the only new lifestyle center underway in the U.S. In this episode, he weighs on the trends that are shaping the next generation of these properties.

You’ll also hear about Josh Poag’s unexpected journey. As a chemical engineering student at Princeton, he had no intention of joining the family business. Yet he discovered that commercial real estate offers opportunities for creativity, for contributing to communities, that have become his passion.

Episode highlights:

Brick and mortar, back in favor (1:46)

Top retailer trends to watch in ‘24 (3:33)

Why institutional investors love brick and mortar—again (5:20)

The customer experience and the evolution of marketing (7:44)

Inventing the modern lifestyle center (9:48)

New and legacy projects: What goes around, comes around (12:25)

The joint venture that’s helping launch the company’s next era (16:04)

Mix-and-match redevelopment (22:43)

Building lifestyle centers: discovering the joy of creation (26:56)

Why a broad education builds a solid background for business (32:55)

When Poag Development’s CEO goes off the clock 37:17