Crazy Growth
The No. 1 shopping market in the land! This Houston suburb takes no prisoners in its retail obsession
The Houston area is really stepping up its shopping despite a struggling national economy, as evidenced by the Texas Retail Survey, where six area cities ranked among the 50 largest city retail markets in the state — with one taking the top spot.
For the third straight year, Pearland has ranked No. 1 in the survey, with a 9.2 percent average five-year percentage growth in retail sales between 2006 and 2011. In 2011 alone, the city saw nearly $962 million in retail sales.
Houston ranked No. 10 on the list, with a 4.1 percent retail growth between 2006 and 2011.
Driving those dollars were Pearland Town Center, a 937,000 square foot development home to department stores, specialty retailers and luxury residential units; Silverlake Village, a shopping center full of big box stores like Michael's and Target; the Crossing at 518; and Shadow Creek Ranch Town Center, an "upscale Mediterranean village setting" home to H-E-B, Academy, Hobby Lobby and more.
"Pearland has seen a tremendous amount of retail growth in recent years and these numbers are evident of this growth," Matt Buchanan, president of the Pearland Economic Development Corporation, said in a statement. "We have had outstanding developers construct multiple shopping centers that have been successful in making Pearland a regional shopping destination."
Houston ranked No. 10 on the list, with a 4.1 percent retail growth between 2006 and 2011. Sugar Land showed 2.6 percent growth, Pasadena 2.3 percent growth, Conroe, 1.3 percent growth and Baytown 1.2 percent growth in the five-year period.