St. Louis Retail Market Report

New sources of foot traffic emerge. At the beginning of 2023, St. Louis welcomed its first major league soccer season at CityPark. The new urban stadium will host approximately 17 to 20 regular season games, in addition to college sporting events and festivals, adding a new source of entertainment-driven foot traffic. This should aid retail performance in outer urban areas, such as Midtown, Forest Park and the Central West End. These neighborhoods already benefit from university-driven visits, as well as from attractions like the St. Louis Zoo and the Art Museum. The corridor is also supported by nearby Clayton’s growing office sector. Central St. Louis County had one of the lowest retail submarket vacancy rates in June at 1.8 percent, and a dearth of available space could further lead retailers to seek floor plans in neighboring areas.