Office, entertainment, retail, residential and hotel investments completed and underway are heralding a new generation in downtown Houston's retail market.

Based on Urban Marketing Collaborative’s assessment of retail demand from residents, workers, and visitors for retail merchandise and eating and drinking, downtown Houston had the potential to attract retail sales totaling $703 million in 2001.  Over half, $388 million, was for eating and drinking sales, and the remaining $315 million was for GAFO sales.  Given those sales levels, downtown Houston could support almost 2.1 million square feet of retail space.  Accounting for occupancy levels, there was unmet demand for 527,694 square feet of retail space in 2001.

The same study estimates an increase in the potential for retail sales to $856 million by 2005, a 22% increase over 2001.  Accounting for occupied space and space under construction, the study indicates unmet demand for over 776,034 square feet of retail. 

Additional retail information available:

• The Downtown District's Retail Incentives Program  (provided here in pdf format) was created to encourage retail development. The grant application is also provided here in Word. 
• Restaurants:  Existing restaurants, clubs and bars (Excel).  Shops at Houston Center's retailers and restaurants. 
• Retail space inventory lists and map:  Street level, Main Street, and Street level retail map 
• METRORail Ridership
• Employment:  Largest employers list.  Employment by HCAD block to identify where employees work (2001, jpg), or Employment density by block, color coded to identify density (2001, .pdf)
• Tunnel and Skywalk System. 
• Retail back on Main Street?  Yes!  People are coming back to downtown with the completion of many of downtown's $4 billion projects, including Light Rail and the eye-catching Main Street Square.
• After 100 years, downtown has a public market on Market Square, in the heart of the Historic District, which is open Saturday's from 9-4.  For more information, contact David Kozowski at 713-817-7181, or e-mail.  
• Demographics
• Traffic counts (statistics from the city in .pdf format)
• Retail Demand Study (.pdf) (3.7 mb), an 84-page document dated 10/01 which analyzes current and future demand for retail in downtown.
• Assistance:  Various organizations and agencies can assist retailers in their assessment of downtown Houston as a retail location by providing accurate, up-to-date information on downtown's ever-growing retail demand.  Please call Kathy Williams at 713-650-1470, or e-mail us.
• Articles/News/Publications:
• House of Blues headed to Houston in new Houston Pavilion, Houston Business Journal, 1/25/06
• Competitors ready to raise "bar" in emerging CBD retail setting, Houston Business Journal, 5/13/05
• L.A. retailer to "grant" its presence, Houston Business Journal, 4/22/05
• Retailers shop for profit in inner cities, MSNBC News, 1/14/05