When it comes to the performance of a shopping centre the selection of the anchor tenant will have major impact on the rental and the specialty traders.

The anchor tenant will be the base of the branding for the centre and the major drawcard when it comes to customer visits. Here are some rules when it comes to the choice and integration of the anchor tenant into the retail shopping centre:

1. The anchor tenant should be the right choice for the surrounding customer demographic
2. The entrance to the anchor tenant premises should incorporate a degree of foot traffic that is captured and tracked past the specialty tenants. In that way the specialty tenants increase the dollar spend of the shopper.
3. Specialty tenants that flank the entrance to the anchor tenant premises should be of high quality and of a complementary retail theme or offering
4. The lease for the anchor tenant should be for a lengthy period of time (10 or 20 years is not uncommon)
5. A base rental for the anchor tenant plus a turnover escalated rent will gear the tenant to the success of the overall property and shopping centre.
6. New specialty tenants will want to know the longevity of the anchor tenant lease before they commit to a new occupancy.
7. The rental levels for the anchor tenant will be adjusted and based on the large space under occupation. It will be less than the rents paid by smaller specialty tenants
8. Recoverable Outgoings for the anchor tenant are frequently based on landlords rates and taxes plus building insurance only. This says that the landlord then takes a degree of outgoings cost on as a non-recoverable charge and as part of having the desirable anchor tenant in the property.

You can make a shopping centre the hive of activity providing you work and optimise the relationship of the anchor tenant and the specialties. In the end result the landlord benefits by stable occupancy, happy tenants, and good rentals.