IKEA and Best Buy Choose Big V Property Group Centers for New Pilot Programs

Best Buy stores at dominant centers Alamo Ranch in San Antonio and Deerbrook Marketplace in metro Houston will see first-of-its-kind partnership

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (November 24, 2025) — When a global retail giant tests a new concept, it needs to do so in the best possible location. So, when IKEA decided to partner with Best Buy on in-store mini showrooms of its kitchens and laundry rooms in Florida and Texas, it naturally sought Best Buys in top-performing shopping centers.

The result: two of the retailers’ five pilot programs in Texas are located in Big V Property Group centers: Alamo Ranch in San Antonio and Deerbrook Marketplace in Humble, Texas, part of the Houston metropolitan area. The Alamo Ranch location is now open, with the Humble store to open later this winter.

“Over the past few years, IKEA has sought to be ever closer to their customers — and that’s been our goal at Big V Property Group, as well,” said Gregory Ix, Executive Vice President of leasing. “That 40% of their pilot locations in Texas will be at our properties is a testament to our goal of acquiring the best locations in major Sunbelt markets — and then applying our management, leasing and construction skills to make them true community cores.”

The Ikea Best Buy Pilot program allows customers to explore and design kitchens and laundry rooms just steps from the appliances they can purchase to complete their installation. It is the first time IKEA products will be available from another retailer. In addition, Best Buy’s Alamo Ranch store will serve as a pick-up point for IKEA shoppers, who can pick up purchases from IKEA in Best Buy or online for free.

One of San Antonio’s most dominant retail centers, the 900,000-square-foot Alamo Ranch draws shoppers from the entire northwest region of the city. Other anchors at the property include Barnes & Noble, Lowe’s, JCPenney, Super Target and Ulta. More than 700,000 people live within 10 miles of the center.

“The closest full-size Ikea in San Antonio is more than an hour from Alamo Ranch,” Ix noted. “Our property makes it convenient for the young, high-income consumer who live nearby to create the living spaces of their dreams.”

Deerbrook Marketplace is situated in metro Houston’s rapidly growing northwest region, with communities including Atascocita, Humble, Kingwood and Spring seeing a 24.2% population increase over the last decade. The center boasts a best-in-class anchor and dining lineup including Best Buy, PetsSmart, Ulta, Office Depot, Old Navy, Marshalls, Shoe Station, Crunch Fitness, Chuy’s and Red Lobster.

“We’re thrilled that IKEA has recognized the strength of these two locations for this very important trial,” Ix said. “And we will watch closely as it tests these and other new concepts.”

About Big V Property Group
Big V Property Group (Big V) is a family-owned leader in retail real estate with an 80-year history of serving communities and creating superior value for investors. We own, operate, and develop premier retail properties in growing and thriving Sunbelt communities across 14 states. Our 50+ neighborhood community and shopping centers are at the heart of retail districts in high-growth demographic markets, occupying a total of 9.5 million square feet. This careful selection has led to record-high occupancy rates, as our prime locations drive significant business for our tenants, enhance returns for investors, and support vibrant community activity. We are headquartered in Charlotte, NC with major offices in Murfreesboro, TN, San Antonio and Austin, TX, and Florida, NY. For further information, please visit bigv.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Debra Hazel
(201) 618-5247
debra@debrahazelcommunications.com

The diverse group BJ’s Brewhouse, Hobby Lobby, Starbuck’s, T-Mobile, Skechers Outlet and more at centers including Harbison Court, above. Photo credit: Big V Property Group.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 3, 2025) —Big V Property Group, a leading owner, operator, and developer of premier retail properties in high-growth Sunbelt markets, has successfully completed a $21.4 million refinancing for a diversified group of net-leased tenants, all a part of shadow anchored centers in the Big V Portfolio in the southern United States.

The properties are part of the Big V Income Fund, a nine-asset portfolio focused on generating stable, long-term cash flow through net-leased retail investments. The new financing package, secured through a regional bank, provides a sub-6% interest rate on-balance sheet, reinforcing the strength of the fund’s asset quality and tenant mix. All assets in the transaction are net-leased (NNN) to creditworthy, long-term tenants, providing predictable income and minimal landlord responsibilities.

“We’re pleased to have secured favorable terms in today’s attractive interest rate environment, which underscores the confidence our lending partners have in our assets and strategy,” said Bryan Kallenberg, Vice President of Capital Markets. This refinancing reflects the ongoing strength of the Big V Income Fund’s net lease portfolio.”

The properties are the ground leases at:

Alamo Ranch in San Antonio, Texas, comprising Wendy’s (2,675 square feet); Las Palapas (3,500 square feet); Jason’s Deli (5,315 square feet); BJ’s Brewhouse (9,00) square feet and a 9,000-square foot building housing Starbuck’s, European Wax and T-Mobile.
Westside Center in Huntsville, Ala., for an 11,839-square-foot outparcel housing a Skechers Outlet and Vitamin Shoppe.
The 55,550-square-foot Hobby Lobby at Harbison Court, in Columbia, S.C.
And two pads at Spradlin Farms, Christiansburg, Va., housing a 3,998-square-foot Truist Bank and 3,000-square-foot Seven Brew.

The nine properties in the Big V Income Fund are all highly visited centers, and shadowed by notable anchored tenants which include, Target, Marshalls, TJMaxx, Burlington, Ross, Ulta, and others. Big V Property Group remains focused on acquiring and managing high-performing retail centers in vibrant Sunbelt markets, characterized by robust demographics, consistent foot traffic, and long-term economic growth.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Debra Hazel
(201) 618-5247
debra@debrahazelcommunications.com

The bookseller has taken locations for its smaller format stores at Alamo Ranch, above, as well as The Avenue Murfreesboro and Southpark Meadows.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 21, 2025) — The recent addition of three Barnes & Noble stores to Big V Property Group’s portfolio is not just evidence of the rebirth of the iconic bookseller, it also is a testament to the two companies’ relationship and the importance of adaptive reuse of existing space, the developer said.

All of the new Barnes & Noble stores — at Alamo Ranch in San Antonio and Southpark Meadows in Austin, both in Texas, and The Shoppes at Woodhill in Columbia, S.C. — were previously home to other retailers and were reconceived and remodeled to accommodate the retailer’s new, smaller format. Barnes & Noble also has a location at The Avenue Murfreesboro near Nashville in a lease signed prior to Big V Property Group’s acquisition of the center in 2020.

“Watching the reinvention and reinvigoration of Barnes & Noble shows the continued strength of brick-and-mortar retail, and it is now a critical component of our tenant mixes,” said Greg Ix, Executive Vice President of Leasing at Big V Property Group. “Small, independent booksellers are a vital part of retail, but there really is only one Barnes & Noble. We are happy to have leased nearly 75,000 square feet and reinvented rare vacant spaces to accommodate them and look forward to continuing our strong relationship.”

“It’s thrilling to see Barnes & Noble expanding again, with plans to open some 60 new stores nationwide in 2025,” said Julie O’Donnell, Big V Property Group Executive Director of Leasing. “Seeing a legacy brand reinvent themselves to adapt as an experience-led, traffic driver retailer, is exciting for all of our tenants, and Austin, San Antonio and Columbia, S.C. have been a perfect fit for them.”

Barnes & Noble’s 20,004-square-foot store replaces an Office Max at Southpark Meadows, home to dining, local, and regional retailers as well as Music Meadows, an outdoor communal area that hosts a variety of events all year long. Other anchors are Walmart, Super Target, Petsmart, Ulta Beauty, Old Navy, JCPenny, Marshalls, Hobby Lobby, Ross, Best Buy and HomeGoods. The center is located on Interstate 35, Austin’s primary North-South thoroughfare.

One of the largest and most prominent open-air centers in San Antonio, Alamo Ranch’s 900,000 square feet are anchored by Best Buy, Dick’s, Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls, Michael’s, Ulta, PetSmart, Super Target, Lowe’s, and JCPenney. Barnes & Noble’s 17,996 square feet also replaces an Office Max at the center, located on 1604, one of the city’s busiest vehicular arteries.

Big V Property Group re-leased a 25,000-square-foot former Bed Bath & Beyond at The Shoppes at Woodhill to Barnes & Noble prior to selling the center in December 2024.

“We’re proud of our flexibility to help major tenants find new locations in thriving markets such as Austin and San Antonio,” said Pat Kelly, Vice President of Leasing. “But Barnes & Noble deserves serious credit for developing a smaller, community-centric prototype that allows it to take locations of 20,000 square feet or so and serve new markets. It’s a tribute to smart retailing.”

All three stores are now open.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Debra Hazel
(201) 618-5247
debra@debrahazelcommunications.com

The RIM will soon be one of just two retail complexes in the United States with all of TJX Cos.’ concepts when Marshalls and Sierra Trading open in Q3 2025. Photo credit: Big V Property Group

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — San Antonio residents looking for the unique values and thrill of the hunt provided by TJX Cos.’ concepts soon will be able to find all of the company’s brands at The RIM Shopping Center with the signing of Marshalls to 26,533 square feet and Sierra Trading to 23,044 Square feet.

With Marshalls’ opening, The Rim will be just the second center in the U.S. to house all of TJX’s divisions, announced Big V Property Group, the owner/manager of the two million-square-foot mixed-use complex, one of the largest shopping centers in Texas. TJX will have a total of 126,674 square feet at The RIM’s 1.2 million-square-foot, open-air retail component at 17703 La Cantera Parkway.

“This is a testament to the strength of San Antonio and the RIM’s dominance in the market,” said Greg Ix, Senior Vice President of Leasing at Big V Property Group. “It’s also a tribute to Big V’s careful redevelopment and retenanting of the project to make it a genuine core for a growing and changing market.”

In some ways, the massive lease is a throwback to retail real estate history, when major apparel specialty stores such as The Gap and The Limited would locate all of its various divisions into the same regional mall. Now, the same strategy is taking place at premier open-air properties such as The RIM, Ix observed.

The RIM, located on the site of a former quarry, opened in 2006. Big V Property Group and Equity Street Capital acquired the project in May 2021, and as manager, Big V Property Group launched an immediate plan to grow the retail center, then 1.05 million square feet, with new restaurants and stores. An existing combined HomeGoods/TJMaxx store occupies 52,097 square feet and was joined by a 23,044-square-foot Sierra Trading Post and 25,000 square foot Homesense, the latter two replacing a former Hemisphere’s Furniture store. The new Marshalls will occupy a former Market By Macy’s space.

“This is a tremendous sign of trust in The RIM — and the result of years of effort to reinvent the tenant mix in this exceptional property for this growing area of San Antonio,” Ix said. “Big V had a vision of what this property could be when we acquired it, and we’re just about there.”

With the new leases, occupancy has now risen to 99%.

“TJX’s concepts are in exceptionally good company at The RIM. As the No. 1 most-visited open-air shopping center in Texas, The RIM is home to many first-in-market locations, including Nordstrom Rack, Homesense, Sierra Trading, Popshelf and more,” Ix continued. “Many of our big-box retailers are in the top 5% to 10% of their companies in terms of sales.”

The Rim’s diverse offerings of national tenants also include Saks Off Fifth, TJ Maxx, Total Wine, Best Buy, Old Navy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lowe’s, DSW, Ulta, Hobby Lobby, World Market and Bass Pro Shops. They are joined by national and local dining experiences including Bakery Lorraine, Bakuden Ramen, IHOP, Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, Rock and Rye, The General Public/Bowl and Barrel, North Italia and Whataburger.

“This is the ultimate collection of retail, dining and entertainment, serving an ever-growing residential base, a dynamic business market and an increasing number of tourists,” Ix said.

The RIM also is home to two hotels with a combined 200 rooms and six residential buildings with 4,500 to 5,000 apartments and condominiums.

The homes are accommodating a population that is consistently growing. The San Antonio/New Braunfels’ MSA’s population rose 1.8% between summer 2022 and summer 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. New companies also are flocking to the region, including a data center campus from Microsoft, healthcare facilities from University Health Retama Hospital and American Cancer Society Hope Lodge and an expansion of the San Antonio Airport.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Debra Hazel
(201) 618-5247
debra@debrahazelcommunications.com