2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Michael Nolan of The Gilbert Group is our 2027 editorial #1 individual retail tenant broker for a Columbus restaurant or store-expansion brief. A published retailer search names him as a site-submission contact, supported by his current tenant practice. Andrew White of Colliers and Luke Streng of CBRE provide alternatives. The nine individual criteria assess personal service and evidence, without assuming that a firm’s total production belongs to one person or guarantees a result for a new retailer.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Columbus, OH
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 — Michael Nolan
For 2027, Michael Nolan is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail tenant representation in Columbus, OH.
Best fit: Restaurant and store-expansion tenant searches
Our editorial #1 retail tenant broker for a Columbus restaurant or store-expansion brief because a published Sweetgreen requirement names him as a site-submission contact across specific local search areas, supported by his current retail tenant practice.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Michael Nolan | Restaurant and store-expansion tenant searches | A published Columbus-area retailer brief names him as a responsible contact. |
| Andrew White | Retail concepts seeking local or regional execution | His current team biography expressly identifies tenant and buyer representation. |
| Luke Streng | Site selection with market and submarket analysis | His current CBRE profile identifies those personal tenant services. |
#1 — Michael Nolan: a named person on a retailer requirement
The Gilbert-authored Sweetgreen flyer directs site submissions to Nolan and Nadia Swaney and names Columbus-area search locations including Dublin, Upper Arlington and New Albany. Gilbert-authored Sweetgreen site-requirement flyer and named contacts That is the decisive role evidence for this selection. It is a published requirement rather than proof of a completed lease, and the undated brief needs current confirmation. Ask Nolan which geography and tasks he would personally cover for the new concept and where other team members would be responsible.
Keep the tenant appointment distinct from other retail work
Nolan’s current Gilbert biography identifies tenant representation as part of his retail practice. The Gilbert Group: Michael Nolan current practice The retailer should ask for a written engagement explaining the search scope, communication process and relevant owner relationships. Discuss how sites are screened before a tour and how a property moves from interesting to viable. A named client relationship is useful evidence of specialization, while the new client still needs a clear service commitment and conflict review.
Andrew White: local concepts and regional expansion
White’s current Columbus Retail Team biography expressly identifies tenant and buyer work and names restaurant, fitness and service-retail client categories through examples. It also records his move from Gilbert to Colliers in November 2020. Columbus Retail Team: Andrew White tenant and landlord scope He is a relevant alternative for a concept whose expansion needs hands-on local execution. Earlier employer history should remain historical, and the client should ask which recent assignments reflect the work he would perform today.
Luke Streng: a structured submarket comparison
Streng’s current CBRE biography lists retail tenant site selection, market and submarket analysis, and negotiation. CBRE: Luke Streng current retail services We include him when the retailer wants a practitioner who can explain the search in a consistent decision framework. Ask for an example using the business’s actual location priorities. The presence of analytical services in a biography establishes scope, without proving superior personal tools or more reliable predictions of sales and occupancy cost.
Test the broker with a difficult location tradeoff
Present two plausible locations that differ in visibility, access, delivery condition or opening sequence. Ask each person what evidence is missing and what would change the preferred option. A strong response should explain the tradeoff in the retailer’s operating terms, not simply identify the lower asking rent. Agree who verifies unresolved physical facts and how the client is informed when a landlord’s response changes the search or the schedule.
Why Nolan leads the tenant comparison
The named Sweetgreen brief links him to a concrete tenant search across recognizable Columbus-area locations. White offers a current local retail practice within Colliers; Streng offers an explicit site-analysis scope at CBRE. None of those sources establishes current capacity or exclusive access for this client. Confirm territory, personal involvement and references before appointment. Comparable negotiation gains, opening speed and customer outcomes were unavailable, so the #1 choice is based on documented assignment fit and the service plan still to be agreed.