Les Schwab Tire Center

When Les Schwab told me they were expanding into Minnesota, I started digging into every town that made sense for a new store. One of the markets that quickly jumped out was Marshall, Minnesota.
 

When I started studying the aerials, traffic flow, and surrounding retail, one site immediately stood out. A 2+ acre property occupied by Quist Moving & Storage, sitting directly in front of the Walmart. From a pure retail standpoint, it was the obvious location.​ But there was a catch.

Properties sitting in front of Walmart are often subject to Walmart’s use restrictions, and tire sales are almost always prohibited. Normally, that would kill the deal before it even started. So I dug a little deeper.

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When I started pulling historical aerials, I noticed something interesting. The Quist building had been there long before the Walmart was built. That meant the property likely wasn’t subject to Walmart’s typical use restrictions, since it predated the center. That was the moment the lightbulb went on.

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I tracked down the owner and gave him a call. As it turned out, he was nearing retirement and had already been thinking

about simplifying things and downsizing the property. The timing couldn’t have been better.

We quickly worked through terms and put a deal together.

It took a while before Les Schwab finally made their way through Minnesota to tour Marshall, but when they did, the reaction was immediate. They loved the location and agreed it was the right spot for the market.

From there the deal moved quickly. We got through their real estate committee process, finalized the lease, and Les Schwab ultimately built their new store on the property.

Sometimes the best sites reveal themselves when you’re willing to look one layer deeper than everyone else. In this case, a quick look at old aerials turned what most people would have dismissed into the perfect location for a new store.

J. Clint Jameson, CDP

Managing Partner