Are You Not Entertained? DFW's Biggest Retail Deals and Themes Of 2024 Aim To Make Sure Of It

North Texans love retail experiences.

Whether those experiences include indoor go-karts or shopping at Texas-based grocers and leaving with warm tortillas, Dallas-Fort Worth’s biggest retail deals of 2024 are likely to lead to a lot of memories being made in the years to come.

An indoor theme park, a Netflix immersive experience and a pair of new H-E-B grocery stores make up the majority of the seven biggest retail deals of the year, according to data from CBRE. The remainder of the list consists of a huge self-storage spot, a merchandise liquidator and a big new gym in Plano.

Compared to Los Angeles and New York, DFW retail space is relatively affordable, prompting a steady stream of new brands looking to move into the Metroplex, CBRE Senior Vice President of Retail Services Jeff Kittleson said.

“With our incredible demographics and growth, it's top on the list for new retailers,” Kittleson said. “There's a big push with new retailers, but [also] new entertainment.”

The Grandscape development in The Colony was an experiential retail leader in 2024. The immersive 87-foot diameter, 12K LED dome screen at Cosm was an instant hit with sports fans when it opened this summer. Grandscape also offers Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, the Fireside Surf surfing experience and Tiger Woods' Popstroke.

In addition to experiential retail, restaurants are a huge attraction throughout the Metroplex, CBRE Retail Managing Director Kathrine Gillis said. 

“You see that Élephante and Little Ruby’s are coming [because] we’re still a really great market for successful high-end brands from other markets to come into Dallas,” Gillis said.

Italian restaurant Élephante from California and all-day cafe Little Ruby’s out of New York City are both slated to open in the 23Springs office development next year in Uptown Dallas. 

While no restaurants cracked the list of top retail deals of 2024, Gillis said there were a number making waves over the last year and she expects to see many more sign leases in the year ahead. 

Vacant restaurant space is generally scooped up quickly, especially in high-traffic areas, Weitzman Senior Vice President Emilie Paulson said. Second-generation restaurant space is so desired that it moves quickly at any size.

That also goes for most retail space, which has become scant in the Metroplex, Paulson said.

“It's been very active in the Class-A centers,” Paulson said. “We are leasing any vacancies at a premium, and often have multiple proposals on a space.”

High cost of construction makes it difficult for retailers to expand without finding pre-existing space, Paulson said. The bankruptcies and closures of Bed Bath & Beyond, Big Lots and Conn’s over the last few years opened up a lot of space that was snatched up by other big-box retailers.

“Burlington has been a strong one – they've taken a lot of box space in the Dallas market, specifically,” Paulson said. 

Growth has long been one of DFW’s biggest stories, and that is likely to continue in 2025 retail, Paulson said, noting she is feeling positive about what that will bring next year.

“I do think that [retail] growth will continue, because it has to because people continue to move in and home builders are continuing to build homes like crazy,” Paulson said.

Here is a look at 2024’s seven biggest retail leases in DFW and a brief insight on each. 

1. CubeSmart

• Lease size: 250K SF
• Location: 3000 N. Redbud Blvd., McKinney
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: February 2024
• Term: Undisclosed

Self-storage has been among the top-performing sectors for commercial real estate in the U.S. due to increased household mobility, the rise of makeshift offices and elevated home sales, according to CBRE. CubeSmart Self Storage now has six locations in McKinney.

2. QuickLotz

• Lease size: 144K SF 
• Location: 2400 S. Stemmons Freeway, Lewisville
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: June 2024
• Term: One year

QuickLotz is a merchandise liquidation store that restocks its sales bins each week. In addition to its retail store at The Vista mall in Lewisville, QuickLotz also operates its company headquarters out of the location, having relocated from Hurst, Community Impact reported.

3. H-E-B

• Lease size: 140K SF 
• Location: U.S. Highway 80 and Gateway Boulevard, Forney
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: March 2026
• Term: undisclosed

New H-E-B stores can cut into the profits of nearby grocers by as much as 20%, Kittleson said. With the San Antonio-based company's expansion throughout the Metroplex, he said he will be keeping an eye on what existing grocers like Tom Thumb, Albertsons and Kroger do to stay competitive.

4. Malibu Jack’s

• Lease size: 137K SF 
• Location: 8651 Airport Freeway, North Richland Hills
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: TBD
• Term: Undisclosed

Malibu Jack's is taking over a former At Home store to bring an indoor theme park to North Richland Hills. The attraction, which also has four locations in Kentucky and Indiana, will include go-karts, minigolf, bowling and more, according to an announcement from North Richland Hills Economic Development.

5. H-E-B

• Lease size: 132K SF 
• Location: Frontier Parkway and Dallas Parkway, Prosper
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: TBD
• Term: Undisclosed

H-E-B broke ground on its first Prosper store in April at the southeast corner of Frontier Parkway and Dallas Parkway and will ultimately employ around 700 people. It is expected to open sometime in 2025.

6. Netflix House

• Lease size: 110K SF 
• Location: 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: March 2025
• Term: One year

Described as a “fan fever dream,” Netflix House will give visitors to Galleria Dallas the opportunity to engage with their favorite content. The attraction is set to include themed food and drinks, interactive games, artwork, live entertainment and branded merchandise.

7. Eos Fitness

• Lease size: 71K SF
• Location: 600 W. 15th St., Plano
• Deal type: New lease
• Start date: February 2025
• Term: 10 years

Fitness has emerged as a big player for retail space in DFW, Kittleson said. And Eos Fitness has stepped up as one of the most dominant new names in the space, with bigger leases than Lifetime Fitness and other brands, he said.