Grand River Growth Plan -All Gibbs for City Jan 2 2026 - Flipbook - Page 36
Summary
The Grand River Avenue area is surrounded with favorable, densely populated demographics.
Overall, 225,000 people, 100,000 households and 150,000 workers are located within 5 miles of the
East Grand River area. These nearby households have $105,000 average incomes. In addition,
155,000 people and 80,000 workers are also located within a 10-minute drive to the Avenue.
To a large degree, Grand River’s unmet commercial demand is representative of an all too common
real estate bias towards investing in growing, higher income suburbs. Statistically, though, the
corridor’s households of $1.2 billion yearly retail spending makes it competitive with many
conventionally preferred locations. However, the East Grand River area’s aged character and
streetscape hide its real commercial market potential.
East Grand River Ave. 2028 Additional Supportable Retail
15,000 sf Apparel, Jewelry, Footwear
5,000 sf Books, Electronics, Toys
10,000 sf Hardware & Garden
5,000 sf Home Furnishings
10,000 sf General & Discount Stores
30,000 sf Grocery & Specialty Foods
15,000 sf Restaurants, Cafes & Pubs
90,000 sf Total New Retail - 20 New Stores
Background
The City of Farmington Hills has retained Gibbs Planning Group to estimate the market demand for
new retail stores and restaurants in the East Grand River Avenue area. This study focuses on the
East Grand River Avenue area between Orchard Lake and Eight Mile Roads.
This study’s projections represent GPG’s analysis of the corridor’s statistical market demand through
2028, assuming business best practices and other conditions. This study does not necessarily reflect
the availability of the Avenue’s land area size or building inventory to accommodate 90,000 sf of
new retail development.
This study defines supportable retail demand as businesses that will produce sales that are
necessary to pay for operations, rent, labor and other expenses, while yielding a competitive market
return on those expenses.
This study addresses the following for the Grand River Avenue area:
o To identify the trade area’s demographic and commercial conditions and trends
o To estimate the sizes and types of new supportable retail businesses
o To project the types of retailers and restaurants that may seek to open a new business
o To project potential new store sales potentials
East Grand River Avenue Retail Market Analysis
Gibbs Group - July 2, 2025
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