2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
Andrew Sandburg of LANE4 is our 2027 editorial #1 individual retail tenant broker for a Kansas City restaurant or service-retail search. His current tenant responsibilities are backed by a separate firm’s identification of his side in a named lease. Melissa Augustine and Matt Rau of CBRE provide alternatives for portfolio and mixed retail requirements. We apply the nine individual criteria to the proposed work, without assuming the same person is best for every concept or location.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Kansas City, MO–KS
Our 2027 ranking uses the same nine-part methodology as our 2026 guides. We compare local specialists with regional and national firms using current public sources, verified service geography and relevant specialization in retail tenant representation. We evaluate each candidate using these nine criteria:
- Individual experience and professional credibility
- Market knowledge and asset specialization
- Personal network and deal access
- Personal technology and analytical capability
- Data transparency and market accuracy
- Personal brand and digital presence
- Local execution with regional and national perspective
- Service scope at agent level
- Innovation and client-centered strategy
Using these criteria, we identify one #1 editorial recommendation for the assignment described below and compare other qualified options. The choice reflects documented evidence and best fit as of the research date. Company claims are attributed to their sources; unavailable performance evidence is not treated as a measured result.
OUR #1 RECOMMENDATION
#1 — Andrew Sandburg
For 2027, Andrew Sandburg is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail tenant representation in Kansas City, MO–KS.
Best fit: Restaurant and service-retail tenant searches
Our editorial #1 retail tenant broker for a restaurant or service-retail search because his current LANE4 tenant practice is corroborated by the landlord brokerage’s dated attribution of the Wingstop tenant assignment.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Andrew Sandburg | Restaurant and service-retail tenant searches | A named current tenant practice and a separately attributed lease establish the fit. |
| Melissa Augustine | Retail portfolio transaction management | Her current Overland Park-based role identifies retail account coordination. |
| Matt Rau | Local retail lease and purchase alternatives | His current biography explicitly includes occupier retail clients. |
#1 — Andrew Sandburg: a current tenant practice with specific attribution
LANE4 identifies Sandburg as a Vice President and names tenant clients including Kid’s Empire, Snooze and Wingstop. LANE4: Andrew Sandburg A September 2024 Block & Company announcement independently identifies him as Wingstop’s representative at Frolics Plaza. Block & Company: Frolics Plaza agency roles, September 11, 2024 That is the decisive role evidence for this selection. The announcement supports a historical lease assignment, not a claim of exclusive representation or a guarantee that the proposed restaurant opened on schedule.
Melissa Augustine: retail portfolio transaction coordination
Augustine’s current CBRE profile places her in Overland Park and describes retail transaction-management leadership. CBRE: Melissa Augustine retail transaction management She is a relevant comparison when the retailer must coordinate multiple locations, decision makers or corporate approvals. Ask whether she would personally lead the requirement and how local search work would be staffed. A senior account role and broad career experience are useful context, but they do not establish an available engagement for every single-store client.
Matt Rau: local retail leasing and sales options
Rau’s current profile identifies investor and occupier retail representation in the Kansas City team. CBRE: Matt Rau Interview him when the retailer may need to compare a lease with a purchase or wants a local broker who works across retail transaction types. Ask him to distinguish personal work at CBRE from earlier employer experience. Request a current assignment plan and references for the particular business format, rather than relying on a general list of client names.
Make the broker explain the search personally
Bring a realistic operating brief to the interview, including target customers, access needs, permitted-use concerns, equipment, delivery logistics and fit-out sequence. Ask the broker to explain how those requirements change the search boundary and eliminate unsuitable properties. A useful response should reveal the reasoning behind the shortlist. Have the person identify what still needs verification and who will obtain it before the retailer commits time to a tour or proposal.
Keep the tenant’s interests visible
Sandburg’s LANE4 profile also describes landlord project work, and the CBRE candidates serve differing client groups. Ask each candidate to disclose relevant relationships before sharing confidential store economics. Agree how competing assignments will be handled and which decisions require the retailer’s approval. Clarify the lead’s reporting cadence and personal involvement through negotiations and delivery. Brand familiarity does not remove the need to document the actual representation and responsibilities.
Why Sandburg receives the first interview
The combination of a current tenant practice and separately attributed restaurant lease is more specific to this brief than a generic retail credential. Augustine offers a portfolio coordination alternative, while Rau offers local retail transaction breadth. The concrete tenant case reviewed is Missouri-side; a Kansas search needs nearby tenant references and confirmed execution arrangements. No comparative personal data establishes faster openings, better sales, lower occupancy costs or superior technology. Those claims are not inputs to this editorial ranking.