South Florida’s retail leasing market in 2025 was marked by activity from grocery stores and fitness centers, even as the region experienced lower rents and higher vacancies. According to an analysis by The Real Deal, Miami-Dade County hosted most of the largest leases this year.
The largest lease was signed by Whole Foods Market, which took 60,000 square feet at Aventura Town Plaza. The shopping center is owned by Triarch Capital Group, led by Daniel Halberstein, Mario Grosfeld, Stefan Grosfeld and Jorge Linkewer. Whole Foods agreed to a 20-year lease with options for six five-year extensions.
BJ’s Wholesale Market secured the second-largest lease with more than 53,000 square feet for its BJ’s Market concept at Marketplace of Delray in Delray Beach. This location will be BJ’s second BJ’s Market store and is expected to open early next year.
Beauty Master signed a lease for 47,200 square feet at Cross County Plaza in West Palm Beach. The plaza is owned by entities managed by Bernardo Kohn and Paul Pollack. The owners purchased the complex for $35 million in 2014 using a $32 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan; a default on that loan in 2020 led to ongoing legal disputes between the owners and their special servicer.
Publix added another South Florida location with a 46,800-square-foot lease at Sunrise Town Center in Sunrise. Publix has also been active as a property buyer this year, acquiring four shopping centers across Davie, Lake Worth Beach and Royal Palm Beach for $150 million.
Clothing retailer Akira leased 41,400 square feet at the former Forever 21 site on Lincoln Road. Akira previously occupied another space on Lincoln Road; both properties are owned by Michael Comras’ Comras Company. In November, Comras purchased an eleven-parcel portfolio on Lincoln Road for $140 million with plans to redevelop it into a new shopping district called NoLi.
BrandsMart USA renewed its 40,000-square-foot lease at Shoppes at Dadeland in Kendall. BrandsMart sells homegoods, appliances and consumer technology products.
Slick City Action Park leased 40,000 square feet at Westland Promenade in Hialeah. Slick City operates indoor slide parks nationwide under CEO Bron Launsby.
EōS Fitness also signed a deal for 40,000 square feet at Palms at Town & Country in Kendall. EōS Fitness has over 150 gyms across several states including Texas and Florida.
Crunch Fitness expanded with two large leases: one for 38,200 square feet at Pompano Plaza in Pompano Beach and another for 37,000 square feet at Crystal Lake Shopping Center in Homestead. CR Fitness Holdings LLC manages these franchises; Crystal Lake Shopping Center was acquired by Jose Chacalo Hilu from MMG Equity Partners for $22.7 million in 2020.
