The Gilbert Group
The Gilbert Group is a family-owned Columbus, Ohio-based commercial real estate firm founded in 1977, specializing exclusively in retail real estate services including tenant and landlord representation, property management (200+ properties, ~8.9M sqft), development, investment sales, and consulting for retail property owners and national retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Gilbert Group does
The Gilbert Group (legal name: Gilbert Group Retail Real Estate) is a family-owned commercial real estate firm founded in 1977 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The firm operates exclusively in the retail real estate vertical and offers six integrated service lines: tenant representation, landlord representation, property management, development advisory, investment sales, and consulting. Its third-party property management portfolio spans 200+ retail properties totaling approximately 8.9 million square feet across Ohio, with the firm overseeing an annual operating budget exceeding $30 million. The business is led by Managing Principal Aaron Gilbert, with Bruce Gilbert as Principal, supported by a team of approximately 11-50 employees that includes 8 dedicated retail-specialized brokers and supporting analysts.
The company generates revenue through three primary streams: transaction-based commissions from brokerage (tenant and landlord representation) and investment sales, recurring property management fees on the 8.9M sqft portfolio, and project-based development and consulting engagements. Distribution is sales-led and relationship-driven, supplemented by membership in ChainLinks Retail Advisors, a national network representing 1,500+ retailers and 200M+ sqft that effectively extends the firm's broker reach well beyond its Ohio base. Customer base spans Fortune 500 retailers (Kohl's, Academy Sports, UPS Store, Sweetgreen, Potbelly) and institutional property owners (Spirit Realty, Realty Income, Inland Real Estate, Gallas Zadeh, Borror, Exchange Right), with 60+ retailer/restaurant clients and 200+ property owner clients on the roster.
Technology adoption is tool-driven rather than platform-driven: Buildout for property marketing, GoZego for tenant payment processing, and standard analytical tools for demographic and drive-time market assessment. There is no disclosed proprietary software, no API offering, no AI/ML capability, and no named data flywheel. Operational moat rests on 48 years of local market knowledge, 38+ collective individual CoStar Power Broker awards, multi-decade landlord and tenant relationships, and the CoStar Power Broker Top Firm recognition earned 8 times since 2010. The firm has been recognized as a Columbus Business First Fast 50 honoree in 2019 and 2020 and has averaged 36% three-year growth in total transaction consideration.
The Gilbert Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Gilbert Group
- Legal name
- Gilbert Group Retail Real Estate
- Website
- https://gilbertgrouprealestate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Gilbert Group is a family-owned Columbus, Ohio-based commercial real estate firm founded in 1977, specializing exclusively in retail real estate services including tenant and landlord representation, property management (200+ properties, ~8.9M sqft), development, investment sales, and consulting for retail property owners and national retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Gilbert Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retail Commercial Real Estate
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail Real Estate Asset Management (BPAJAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail Brokerage (BPAJABAB), Retail Tenant Representation (BPAJALAB), Retail Property Management (BPAJAGAB)
Keywords
Where The Gilbert Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Gilbert Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Brokerage Commissions: Tenant representation and landlord representation services generating transaction-based commissions. The company facilitates retail real estate transactions for both tenants seeking space and landlords seeking tenants.
- Property Management Fees: Property management services for 200+ retail properties totaling approximately 8.9 million square feet in Ohio. Includes financial oversight, onsite operations, lease administration, and tenant retention services.
- Investment Sales: Advisory services for commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions. The team assists in valuing real estate projects and marketing to potential buyers.
- Development Services: In-house development management for multi-tenant and single-tenant retail projects from start to finish, including site selection, entitlements, and construction oversight.
- Consulting Services: Retail real estate consulting services including development budget tightening, rent collection, market analysis, financial analysis, and lease/sales negotiation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom consulting engagement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Gilbert Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Gilbert Group is a Columbus, Ohio-based retail commercial real estate firm founded in 1977 that provides brokerage and property management services for retail properties. Its service lines include tenant representation, landlord representation, property management, real estate development advisory, investment sales, and consulting. The firm manages more than 200 retail properties totaling approximately 8.9 million square feet and represents a roster of 60-plus retailers including Kohl's, Academy Sports, UPS, and Sweetgreen.
Product overview
The Gilbert Group offers a comprehensive suite of commercial retail real estate services built around six core offerings: Tenant Representation (helping businesses find and lease retail space), Landlord Representation (project leasing for property owners), Property Management (managing 200+ retail properties totaling approximately 8.9 million square feet in Ohio), Development (in-house development from site selection through construction), Investment Sales (acquisitions and dispositions advisory), and Consulting (customized guidance for property transactions and optimization). The company operates as a unified full-service commercial real estate firm, combining brokerage expertise with property management capabilities and development services to serve both retail tenants seeking locations and property owners seeking to maximize asset value.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tenant Representation
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ retail transactions annually for 11 consecutive years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Gilbert Group
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Gilbert Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
The Gilbert Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ChainLinks Retail AdvisorscoreThe Gilbert Group is Columbus' designated ChainLinks Advisor, qualified to handle any size deal or transaction locally or nationally. ChainLinks exclusively represents over 1,500 retailers and over 200 million square feet of retail space. The partnership enables national reach while maintaining local expertise.
- Gallas Zadeh DevelopmentminorProperty owner client. The Gilbert Group provides property management and leasing services.
- Borror DevelopmentminorProperty owner client. The Gilbert Group provides property management and leasing services.
- Spirit RealtyminorProperty owner client. The Gilbert Group provides property management and leasing services.
- Exchange RightminorProperty owner client. The Gilbert Group provides property management and leasing services.
- Thrive DevelopmentminorProperty owner client. The Gilbert Group provides property management and leasing services.
- The Inland Real Estate Group of CompaniesminorProperty owner client listed on Gilbert Group website.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Gilbert Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Colliers International: Global commercial real estate services and investment firm with retail brokerage and management offerings. Competes with Gilbert for retail tenant and landlord mandates, particularly for enterprise and institutional clients.
- Cushman & Wakefield: Global full-service commercial real estate firm with a large retail practice offering tenant representation, agency leasing, and property management. Overlaps with Gilbert Group's services but serves a much broader client base and geography.
- JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global real estate services firm offering brokerage, property management, and investment advisory across all asset types including retail. Overlaps with Gilbert Group's integrated service model but with vastly greater scale and technology investment.
- Newmark Group: Commercial real estate services firm providing leasing, investment sales, and property management with a growing retail practice. Comparable service breadth to Gilbert Group at materially larger scale.
- CBRE Group: World's largest commercial real estate services firm with deep retail capabilities across brokerage, investment sales, and property management. Competes with Gilbert Group for large retail mandates at the national level.
Others
- Phillips Edison & Company: Public retail REIT that owns, operates, and manages grocery-anchored shopping centers with in-house property management and leasing. Adjacent rather than directly competitive - acts as both a potential client type and an institutional alternative to Gilbert's landlord-side services.
Direct peers
- The Shopping Center Group: Boutique retail-specialized CRE brokerage and property management firm serving landlords, retailers, and investors in community and power centers. Directly comparable in retail focus, integrated services, and regional operating model.
- Mid-America Real Estate Group: Retail-specialized commercial real estate brokerage, management, and development firm serving clients across the Midwest and nationally. Comparable retail tenant-representation book and landlord portfolio to The Gilbert Group.
- Marcus & Millichap: National investment-sales and brokerage firm specializing in retail real estate, including tenant representation, landlord leasing, and investment property sales. Highly comparable to Gilbert Group's retail-brokerage and investment-sales model, though operating at significantly larger scale.
- SRS Real Estate Partners: Retail-specialized commercial real estate firm offering tenant representation, landlord representation, property management, and investment sales across the U.S. Closely parallels Gilbert Group's full-service retail CRE platform and tenant portfolio (e.g., Sweetgreen, CAVA).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Gilbert Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Gilbert Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Gilbert Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Gilbert Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Gilbert Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Gilbert Group
What does The Gilbert Group do?
The Gilbert Group is a Columbus, Ohio-based retail commercial real estate firm founded in 1977 that provides brokerage and property management services for retail properties. Its service lines include tenant representation, landlord representation, property management, real estate development advisory, investment sales, and consulting. The firm manages more than 200 retail properties totaling approximately 8.9 million square feet and represents a roster of 60-plus retailers including Kohl's, Academy Sports, UPS, and Sweetgreen.
Is The Gilbert Group a public or private company?
The Gilbert Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Gilbert Group founded?
The Gilbert Group was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Gilbert Group based?
The Gilbert Group is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Gilbert Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Brokerage Commissions are the primary driver. The others are property Management Fees, investment Sales, development Services and consulting Services.
Who are The Gilbert Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Colliers International, Cushman & Wakefield, JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle), Newmark Group and CBRE Group. Phillips Edison & Company is listed as an others. Direct peers are The Shopping Center Group, Mid-America Real Estate Group, Marcus & Millichap and SRS Real Estate Partners.
Does The Gilbert Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Gilbert Group.
What industry is The Gilbert Group in?
The Gilbert Group's product category is Retail Commercial Real Estate. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAMAF, Retail Real Estate Asset Management, with a secondary code of BPAJABAB, Retail Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 53121 and its SIC code is 6531.