Finding the Right Location For New Shopping Center Development

Finding the right location is the single most important decision in developing a new shopping center. Go too far ahead of demand, and you risk empty storefronts. Arrive too late, and you’re competing in an overcrowded market. The sweet spot is identifying communities where population growth, infrastructure, and retail demand are converging—creating the perfect environment for new development.

In this article, we’ll walk through how to evaluate those factors using Collin County, Texas as a case study. Within this fast-growing region, one city in particular—Anna—illustrates why certain markets are primed for new retail. From explosive population growth to proven retail absorption trends, Anna checks nearly every box for developers looking to capture the next wave of suburban expansion.

Once considered just “north of Dallas,” Collin County has become one of the fastest-growing counties in the entire United States. Its population has more than doubled since 2000, and it continues to attract new residents at a blistering pace—adding about 128 people every single day. Families are flocking here for new housing, top-rated schools, and proximity to job centers like Plano and Frisco.

All that growth is putting pressure on infrastructure, housing, and—most importantly—retail services. Shoppers need grocery stores, restaurants, gyms, and entertainment options close to home, not 20 minutes down the highway. And that’s where the opportunity comes in.

Among Collin County’s booming cities, one name keeps popping up: Anna. Tucked along US-75 just north of McKinney, Anna is evolving from a small town into a retail frontier. For developers, it represents the kind of ground-floor opportunity that’s increasingly rare in Collin County’s more built-out suburbs.

Growth You Can See From the Highway

Not long ago, Anna was a dot on the map north of McKinney. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. The numbers are jaw-dropping: the population has exploded more than 2,100% since 2000, and it’s still climbing. In fact, Anna’s headcount jumped 14.6% in just one year, taking it from a small town of 19,000 in 2019 to almost 32,000 in 2024.

And it’s not slowing down. Projections show Anna could double again by 2030, pushing toward 50,000 people. When you add that kind of residential base, you’re basically writing a playbook for new retail demand.

Retail Real Estate: Demand Is Outpacing Supply

Here’s where it gets interesting. Across the Dallas–Fort Worth metro, retail is booming in a way that’s different from the old boom-and-bust cycles. In the last year, DFW saw 2.3 million square feet of retail absorbed—that’s retailers signing leases and moving in.

That balance matters. Net absorption proves that new projects aren’t just speculative—they’re following real, measured demand. In fact, about 70% of what’s being built is pre-leased before the doors even open.

As one Chain Store Age report put it, Texas is “leading the nation in retail real estate construction.” And the JLL mid-year data backs it up: investment in retail real estate jumped 23% in the first half of 2025. In short, the market isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating.

Checking All the Boxes: Anna, Texas

1. Location, Location, Location

Anna sits on US-75, with easy access to Dallas, McKinney, and Sherman. The planned Collin County Outer Loop will add even more connectivity, turning Anna into a key crossroads in northern Collin County. For a shopping center, that’s gold: visibility, traffic, and accessibility.

2. Room to Grow

Unlike fully built-out suburbs, Anna has space. Its planning area covers over 61 square miles, giving developers flexibility to create larger retail centers with modern formats—think open-air lifestyle space, entertainment hubs, or mixed-use projects with residential stacked on top.

3. The Right Customer Base

Thousands of new households are on the way. In the next five years alone, Anna’s trade area is expected to add 14,000 new single-family homes. These aren’t second homes or transient apartments—this is permanent, family-driven growth. And families need groceries, services, restaurants, gyms, and entertainment close to home.

Following the People (and the Money)

One of the best ways to measure whether retail makes sense is to follow where households are moving and where capital is flowing.

On the household side: Collin County as a whole is gaining roughly 128 new residents per day. That’s not a trend—it’s a tidal wave.

On the capital side: Core funds and institutional investors are piling into retail again. As JLL’s 2025 data shows, investment sales rose nearly a quarter year-over-year, proving that money managers see retail as a safe, income-producing bet.

Why Now Is the Right Time

Vacancy in DFW retail is sitting at historic lows (around 4.7%) and asking rents are hovering near record highs. That’s the market telling you one thing: there’s demand waiting to be met.

In Anna, the timing is even better. The rooftops are going up first, and the retail is catching up. That means developers who move in now aren’t competing with a dozen other centers—they’re meeting pent-up local demand.

Final Take: Collin County is Ground Zero for Growth

Retail works best when growth is real and demand is organic. That’s exactly what’s happening in Anna.

• The population surge is undeniable.
• Net absorption data shows retail space across DFW is being leased as fast as it’s built.
• Investors and retailers are putting serious money into the market.
• And Anna’s unique mix of location, land, and lifestyle makes it one of the most attractive nodes in Collin County.

For developers and retailers, the takeaway is simple: Anna isn’t just the next suburb on the map. It’s the next great retail opportunity in North Texas.