What We Do.

We help colleges and universities unlock the full potential of retail on and around campus. From student-centered food halls to mixed-use corridors that serve faculty, staff, and the broader community, our strategies are designed to reflect institutional values, enhance campus life, and support long-term financial sustainability.  

Our work spans comprehensive master planning, tenant merchandising, leasing, and ongoing advisory for retail programs that align with the academic mission. Whether embedded within a capital project or part of a long-range strategic plan, we ensure retail isn’t just an afterthought—it’s a meaningful piece of campus life.

We specialize in urban and transit-connected campuses, where space is at a premium and expectations are high. Our portfolio includes a number of the most respected academic institutions in the country where we’ve worked with renowned research universities, liberal arts colleges, and technical institutes to create thriving, integrated retail environments.

Institutions turn to KHL Retail because we understand the delicate balance of student needs, institutional identity, and long-term campus planning. We’ve worked with nationally recognized universities on everything from master planning and leasing neighborhood-facing retail corridors to developing and programming high-impact campus food hubs. Our approach is grounded in research, responsive to changing student expectations, and highly attuned to the physical, cultural, and logistical context of each campus. We deliver strategies that not only enhance quality of life but also reinforce the university’s broader mission.

We provide comprehensive retail consulting services to colleges and universities across the country. Our scope includes long-range retail master planning, food and beverage strategy, space programming, tenant mix and merchandising plans, leasing, and repositioning of legacy campus retail assets. We also advise on retail integration within capital projects—such as student unions, residence halls, or new campus gateways—and support institutions through implementation, from deal structuring to activation. Our approach balances academic mission, urban context, and student-centered retail programming to ensure retail enhances both experience and revenue.