Council hears Veil Strategies retail recruitment update; contract renewal approved on consent agenda

Retail recruitment consultant Veil Strategies presented an annual update to the Guthrie City Council on June 17 outlining data, trade-area analysis and outreach work aimed at attracting retailers to Guthrie, and council approved continuing the partnership for another year on the consent agenda.

Cam South, senior portfolio director at Veil Strategies, said the firm combines data analysis, “boots on the ground” market tours and curated outreach to prospective retailers to highlight available sites. He described the firm’s role as focusing the city’s retail pitch for both franchise and new-market prospects.

“Think of us like the match.com of retail and real estate,” said Cam South, summarizing the consultant’s role in pairing property owners and retailers.

Veil’s presentation covered steps the firm takes in the first 90 to 100 days of a partnership—site cataloging, custom void (leakage) analysis, and preparation of a recruitment plan—and detailed the longer, relationship-driven timeline for store openings, which the presenters said can range from 18 to 36 months from initial interest to opening. The consultants noted hurdles for larger-format retailers, such as sporting goods stores, including large site needs and rising construction costs.

During the question-and-answer period councilmembers asked about the data sources used for leakage and trade-area mapping and whether Veil transacts deals directly. Steven Dindy, retail development associate, explained the firm curates property details (site size, egress/ingress, build-to-suit needs) and conducts outreach but does not broker or close real estate transactions: “We don't transact the deal. We're simply the matchmaker,” he said.

Council later moved the consultant’s contract renewal as part of the consent agenda; the consent agenda passed unanimously. Staff and Veil representatives told the council that success depends on long-term coordination, availability of “A-plus” sites and, particularly for quick-service restaurants, the presence of franchisees willing to operate in the market.

Veil representatives said they will continue recruiting through trade shows and ongoing outreach, and the city manager indicated Veil would appear at a regional meeting the following day to further market Guthrie to prospective retailers.