This article was published in April 2017 and will not be updated. Please contact us if you have specific questions regarding the information in this article.
Nestled in the middle of South Austin lies Sunset Valley, a quaint town that is most known for its retail scene.
This month, we talked with AQUILA Principal and retail guru, Jason Faludi, on why Sunset Valley is so retail-packed and why it’s a good location for both retail and office tenants. He also shares some of his favorite things to do in the area.
Click the links below to jump to a specific section:
- Why is there a lot of retail in Sunset Valley?
- Is Sunset Valley a good location for retail?
- What attracts tenants to Sunset Valley?
- What are the benefits of Sunset Valley?
- What are the best restaurants and stores in Sunset Valley?
- What are some fun activities to do in Sunset Valley?
- Sunset Valley Infographic
Q: Why is there a lot of retail in Sunset Valley?
A: There is high density, traffic counts, and demographics. Also, there are no city taxes that are passed through to the tenants. There is a large number of people that live and work in proximity to Sunset Valley on both sides and you’re near many main arteries – Brodie Lane, William Cannon, and 290. South Austin has just always been more occupied by retail than North Austin.
Q: Is Sunset Valley a good location for retail?
A: Of course. There is just such a cluster of retail down there that it’s turned into one of the premier south Austin retail nodes. And sales taxes are slightly lower than in the rest of Austin.
Best Buy anchors South Towne Square
Q: AQUILA leases a couple of properties in the area, including South Towne Square. What makes this center unique and what attracts tenants to the area?
A: One big thing is that South Towne Square is anchored by Best Buy and Sam’s Club – stores that are both big draws. You also have huge parking fields, a good daytime population, and high traffic counts – all great factors that attract retail tenants.
There is greenbelt access and many landscaped hiking trails.
Q: What are the benefits of Sunset Valley?
A: If it’s retail, there are plenty of shoppers; it’s easy for them to park, they will pay slightly lower sales tax, and there are so many stores in this area that it’s convenient for them to just go to one area and do all of their shopping. For tenants, the operating expenses would be slightly lower because they don’t have to pay the city sales tax.
For office, there are so many nearby amenities – tons of restaurants, stores, and big brand names. There is access to the greenbelt and outdoor trails.
Q: What are the best restaurants and stores?
A: I love to eat at IM Thai, Tarka Indian Kitchen, Mighty Fine, and Serrano’s. I also frequent Best Buy, Spec’s, and Academy.
On a nice weekend afternoon, one of my favorite things to do is to go to Academy and buy oak logs for my smoker then go over to Spec’s Deli and grab a burger and some beer. I go back home, start a fire in the pit and put some ribs on my smoker for dinner.
The SFC Farmer’s Market is at Toney Burger Center every Saturday from 9am-1pm. Photo courtesy of SFC
Q: What are some fun activities to do in Sunset Valley?
A: There’s a pretty cool farmers market at the Toney Burger Center on Saturday mornings. There are so many vendors and they usually have live music. Obviously, they could go shopping and then they can take a hike around the greenbelt or on one of the hiking trails in the area.
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