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Top Retail & Shopping Center Owners in the U.S.

  • 3 days ago
  • 5 min read

For CRE businesses — brokers, contractors, architects, service providers, and anyone else whose work touches retail properties — the companies that own those properties are the starting point for any targeted outreach. But ownership isn't always straightforward. Retail properties, whether a neighborhood strip mall, a grocery-anchored community center, or an enclosed regional mall, can be owned by a private individual, a private equity fund, a pension fund, or a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT).


REITs are the most visible players. These companies own income-producing properties and are required to distribute at least 90% of taxable income to shareholders, which makes them frequent acquirers of large retail portfolios. But not all retail owners are REITs. Some of the largest portfolios in the country are held by privately owned operators, institutional investors, or hybrid companies that develop, own, and manage retail in multiple formats. In a separate guide, we explain commercial real estate ownership.


The 10 companies below were identified using Biscred's database of 647,611 companies and 5.9 million contacts, filtered by industry (REIT and REIF) and asset experience (retail). Selection factored in property count, square footage, and revenue. They are presented in no particular order.


About the data: For each company, we include the following:

  • Property count: The number of total properties or total retail properties under management or being managed

  • Square feet: Estimated total retail square footage reported across all retail properties

  • HQ: U.S.-based headquarters

  • Biscred contacts: Number of CRE professionals that Biscred has added who are likely to be decision-makers or decision influencers

  • Revenue range: An estimate based on financial reportings or other reported earnings

  • Top industries: Top (but not all) retail industries with which the company does business 


Realty Income

Realty Income is one of the largest net-lease REITs in the world, with a U.S. portfolio of roughly 15,450 properties totaling approximately 348 million square feet. Headquartered in San Diego, the company focuses on acquisitions, asset management, and development across retail and other commercial sectors.


Its tenant base spans everyday retail; grocery, convenience, home improvement, and dollar stores account for the top four industry concentrations. Notable tenants include 7-Eleven, Dollar General, Walgreens, and Family Dollar.

  • Property count: 15,450

  • Square feet: 348 million

  • HQ: San Diego, CA

  • Biscred contacts: 254

  • Revenue range: $10M–$50M

  • Top industries: Grocery (11%), convenience (9.6%), home improvement (6.4%), dollar stores (6.1%)



National Retail Properties 

National Retail Properties (NNN REIT) is a publicly traded net-lease REIT headquartered in Orlando, Florida, operating under the ticker NNN. Its portfolio of roughly 3,771 single-tenant retail properties is concentrated in high-frequency, necessity-based retail categories: automotive services, convenience stores, and restaurants.


Notable tenants include 7-Eleven, Flynn Restaurant Group, BJ's Wholesale, and Mavis Tire Express.

  • Property count: 3,771

  • Square feet: 39.6 million

  • HQ: Orlando, FL

  • Biscred contacts: 55

  • Revenue range: $1M–$10M

  • Top industries: Automotive, convenience stores, restaurants


STORE Capital

STORE Capital is a net-lease REIT that focuses on single-tenant operational real estate (hence the name Single Tenant Operational Real Estate). Originally publicly traded, it was taken private in 2023 following a $15 billion acquisition by GIC and Oak Street. It continues to operate as an internally managed net-lease REIT out of Scottsdale, Arizona.


Its portfolio skews toward service-oriented and experience-based retail: early childhood education, automotive maintenance, and restaurants are among its top tenant categories.

  • Property count: ~3,500

  • HQ: Scottsdale, AZ

  • Biscred contacts: 55

  • Revenue range: $10M–$50M

  • Top industries: Early childhood education, automotive maintenance, restaurants

  • Note: Privately held since 2023 (acquired by GIC and Oak Street)


Agree Realty

Agree Realty is a Michigan-based REIT that develops, acquires, and manages retail properties across the country, with a portfolio of 2,756 properties totaling approximately 57 million square feet. Its tenant mix is weighted toward large-format, high-traffic retail — Walmart, Tractor Supply Co., Dollar General, and Hobby Lobby are among its top names.

  • Property count: 2,756

  • Square feet: 57 million

  • HQ: Bloomfield Hills, MI

  • Biscred contacts: 2,513

  • Revenue range: $10M–$50M

  • Top industries: Grocery, home improvement, convenience stores, tire and auto service, auto parts


Essential Properties Realty Trust

Essential Properties is a Princeton-based net-lease REIT operating in 48 states, with a portfolio of 2,417 properties totaling 27.3 million square feet. The company’s focus is on middle-market companies in service-oriented and experience-based categories — businesses where the physical location is central to the tenant's operation.

  • Property count: 2,417

  • Square feet: 27.3 million

  • HQ: Princeton, NJ

  • Biscred contacts: 46

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top industries: Car washes, early childhood education, quick service restaurants, automotive, casual dining


Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT)

Four Corners Property Trust is a Mill Valley, California-based net-lease REIT trading on the NYSE under the ticker FCPT. Originally spun off from Darden Restaurants in 2015 with a portfolio concentrated almost entirely in casual dining, the company has since diversified significantly — Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse now represent 40% of annual base rent, down from 94% at spin-off.

Its 1,313 properties span 48 states, with a tenant mix weighted toward restaurants and quick service, auto service, and medical retail (medtail). Annual base rent as of Q1 2026 is $266 million.

  • Property count: 1,313

  • Square feet: 8.8 million

  • HQ: Mill Valley, CA

  • Biscred contacts: 44

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top industries: Casual dining (31% of ABR), quick service restaurants (16%), auto service (13%), medtail (11%), other retail (3%)


Hines

Hines is a privately held global real estate investment, development, and management firm headquartered in Houston, TX. Its retail portfolio spans approximately 55 million square feet across 30 countries, with U.S. holdings totaling 1,751 properties. The company's retail focus includes retail centers, shopping centers, power centers, and enclosed malls.

  • Property count: 1,751

  • Square feet (retail): 55 million globally

  • HQ: Houston, TX

  • Biscred contacts: 1,722

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top formats: Retail centers, shopping centers, power centers, enclosed malls


CBL & Associates Properties

CBL & Associates is a Chattanooga-based REIT with a portfolio of 88 retail properties, including 46 enclosed malls, 5 lifestyle centers, 25 open-air centers, and 4 outlet centers. With 55.6 million square feet, the company is one of the larger mall-focused REITs in the country.

  • Property count: 88 (46 enclosed malls, 25 open-air, 5 lifestyle, 4 outlet)

  • Square feet: 55.6 million

  • HQ: Chattanooga, TN

  • Biscred contacts: 95

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top formats: Enclosed malls, shopping centers


Kimco Realty

Kimco is one of the largest publicly traded owners and operators of open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers in the U.S. Based in Jericho, NY, its portfolio of 565 properties totals approximately 100 million square feet. Kimco's tenant mix reflects the everyday-needs retail categories that have proven most resilient: grocery, off-price retail, and services.

  • Property count: 565

  • Square feet: 100 million

  • HQ: Jericho, NY

  • Biscred contacts: 723

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top industries: Grocery, off-price retail, services (nail salons, spas)


Regency Centers

Regency Centers is a Jacksonville-based REIT that specializes in grocery-anchored neighborhood and community shopping centers. Its 485-property portfolio spans approximately 59 million square feet, with a deliberate focus on locations anchored by dominant grocers in high-income, high-density trade areas.


Tenant mix extends beyond grocery into restaurants, medical and medtail, and pharmacy — reflecting the shift toward convenience and health-oriented retail.

  • Property count: 485

  • Square feet: 59 million

  • HQ: Jacksonville, FL

  • Biscred contacts: 351

  • Revenue range: $100M–$1B

  • Top industries: Grocery, restaurants, medical/medtail, pharmacy


Find and Reach Retail Property Owners with Biscred

The companies above represent some of the largest retail property owners in the country — but they're a fraction of the full landscape. Thousands of retail properties across the U.S. are held by mid-size REITs, regional developers, private operators, and institutional investors that don't make national headlines.


Biscred's database covers 647,611 CRE companies and 5.9 million contacts, all categorized by industry, asset class, geography, and seniority. If retail owners, operators, or developers are part of your prospecting strategy, Biscred lets you filter to exactly who you're looking for — and reach them.


 
 
 
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