Following its merger with Northwest Atlantic Real Estate Services, Atlanta-based retail brokerage the Shopping Center Group is launching a New York City division, with a specific emphasis on international retailers.
The new division, called SCG Retail, will handle business in Manhattan and the boroughs, according to David Firestein, former president of Northwest Atlantic and now a managing partner at SCG Retail. The office will open with 10 to 12 brokers, most formerly of Northwest Atlantic, near Columbus Circle this spring.
“We wanted to send a message both to Manhattan and the international community that this is something a little different than what we’ve done in the past,” Firestein said. “This is solely urban-focused, and it will have a little more of an international flavor.”
Northwest Atlantic, a Westchester tenant advisory firm best known as the Manhattan representative for Starbucks and Whole Foods, merged with TSCG in February. As The Real Deal reported, the move aimed to broaden Northwest Atlantic’s services into investment sales and landlord representation, and to give TSCG a foothold in the Northeast.
Now they’ve set their sights on international business. To that end, SCG Retail last month hired Bertrand de Soultrait, a Frenchman with two years of retail experience at the commercial firm NYCRS.
De Soultrait said he makes monthly trips to France and specializes in luxury international brands. One of his recent deals, for example, brought Singapore-based aromatherapy retailer Mt. Sapola to 27 Prince Street.
“New York is always — and will always be — a dream for these brands,” De Soultrait said.