CC Consulting Celebrates 20 Years of Retail Real Estate Innovation

Cindy Ciura, founder of CC Consulting, is celebrating 20 years leading her commercial real estate consulting firm that specializes in retail brokerage for High Street properties. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based firm represents landlords nationwide while connecting them with a network of preferred retailers, including luxury and high-end brands. Ciura's career has significantly influenced major retail developments and urban revitalization projects, establishing her reputation for strategic insight and industry expertise.

Reflecting on her decision to launch the firm in 2005, Ciura explained that pivotal career experiences reinforced the importance of integrity, purpose, and creating positive impact through work. After 16 years in the industry, she identified an opportunity to build an organization where she could channel her values, experience, and vision into meaningful work. This led to the creation of CC Consulting, which has since worked on some of the most desirable shopping districts across the country.

Among the most memorable projects Ciura highlights is her decade-long involvement in downtown Birmingham, Michigan. When she began, the area lacked the level of national retail representation desired, but today downtown Birmingham thrives with national brands. In Detroit, where Ciura has worked for more than 25 years, she helped bring some of the first national retailers to the city, including the Hard Rock Cafe and Borders Books to the Compuware Building. This work helped initiate momentum that now includes many more national brands throughout the city.

CC Consulting's work extends beyond Michigan to markets including Florida, particularly Orlando and Naples, where the firm strengthens tenant mixes on select properties. The company has also worked in Palm Beach, the Carolinas, California, Ohio, Chicago, and New York City. Ciura's approach focuses on revitalizing cities, streets, and malls with fresh retail offerings that weren't previously represented. The firm's success in attracting high-end and luxury brands to high-street properties stems from Ciura's long-standing relationships with retailers, some dating back 20 years, and her ability to curate tenant mixes that encourage luxury retailers to co-locate near peers.

Before founding CC Consulting, Ciura held executive positions with industry leaders including The Forbes Company, Olympia Development, and Schostak Brothers & Company. She considers Sid Forbes, Atanas Ilitch, Mike Ilitch, and Bob Schostak as mentors who provided an incredible foundation for launching her own company. These experiences shaped her approach as a founder and consultant, emphasizing the importance of market knowledge and effective presentation through customized marketing materials that address retailer needs.

Despite evolving retail landscapes since 2005, Ciura challenges the notion that brick-and-mortar retail is declining. She notes that more retailers, both domestic and international, are actively seeking physical locations than ever before, emphasizing that retail remains a tactile experience people enjoy. CC Consulting tailors its approach for diverse markets by understanding each location's unique characteristics, from urban centers to smaller Business Improvement Districts, ensuring marketing materials reflect specific data and demographics.

The most rewarding aspects of growing CC Consulting into a national firm include opportunities to share knowledge at events, conferences, and institutions like Harvard, as well as giving back to the community through nonprofit work. Ciura serves on the Board of Directors of Michigan Humane, advocating for animal welfare, and supports Catholic Charities in converting old elementary schools in Detroit into low-cost housing for the homeless. Looking ahead, Ciura is excited about expanding into new markets such as Washington, D.C., and exploring retail opportunities in convention centers, continuing to adapt to new venues within the retail world.