Vequity
Vequity is a Chicago-based retail real estate developer that delivers build-to-suit, general contracting, brokerage, and property management services to national retail brands such as 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Lou Malnati's, and Target across multiple US states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Vequity does
Vequity is a Chicago-based private retail real estate investment and development firm that delivers build-to-suit development, leasing, construction, and property management services for national retail brands. The company operates through a vertically integrated platform comprising Vequity (development and investment), Vequity Construction (general contracting for multi-unit retail, healthcare, and mixed-use facilities), Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA, a retail brokerage handling national site selection), and a property management arm. Its core operating model is the systematic acquisition of undervalued or off-market retail parcels, repositioning them through entitlements and construction, and delivering them as single-tenant or multi-tenant retail assets leased primarily to large national tenants (7-Eleven, Starbucks, Lou Malnati's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Chipotle, Target, T-Mobile, Sleep Number, DaVita, and BMO, among others). Founder Christopher Ilekis has overseen 500+ lease and sale transactions and over $200M of retail development in the past five years, and the firm currently has projects underway across Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, and Indiana.
Vequity generates revenue through four primary streams: project-based real estate development (development fees, sales of repositioned properties, and lease-up economics), managed property and asset management services, one-time investment sales of NNN retail strip centers and mixed-use developments, and general contracting work performed through Vequity Construction. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based rather than published, consistent with a high-touch enterprise field sales model in which Vequity's principals and managing director engage directly with retail clients' real estate and development teams to originate, site-select, build, and lease assets nationally. The company's go-to-market relies on direct enterprise relationships, repeat build-to-suit programs with brand expansion teams, and a website/newsletter presence rather than channel partners or distribution intermediaries.
Vequity has been actively expanding its footprint, with 2026 acquisitions including three Phoenix-area 7-Eleven sites, a 34-acre former Pheasant Run parcel in St. Charles, IL, the Lyons former Quarry site for a multi-component development, and a portfolio of former Freddy's locations. The company does not use third-party distributors; it sells and leases directly to enterprise retail clients through Vequity's principals and VREA. Pricing for development services is not publicly disclosed and depends on project scope, tenant credit, and location economics.
Vequity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vequity
- Legal name
- Vequity LLC
- Website
- https://vequity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Vequity is a Chicago-based retail real estate developer that delivers build-to-suit, general contracting, brokerage, and property management services to national retail brands such as 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Lou Malnati's, and Target across multiple US states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vequity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)
- SIC
- Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Investment Management (Acquisitions & Dispositions) (BPAJAMAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- New Development & Project Marketing (Pre-Construction Sales) (FSAEAJAE), Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales) (FSAEAJAB)
Keywords
Where Vequity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Vequity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Real Estate Development: Vequity develops retail properties for national brands, generating revenue through development fees and property sales/lease-up. The company identifies undervalued properties, repositions them, and delivers completed developments to retailers.
- Property Management: Property management services for commercial and retail properties
- Investment Sales: Sale of investment properties including NNN retail strip centers and mixed-use developments
- General Contracting: Construction services through Vequity Construction, a Chicago-based general contracting firm
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
Vequity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vequity systematically identifies and repositions undervalued commercial properties into build-to-suit retail developments for national brands, providing end-to-end real estate services including site selection, acquisition, construction, leasing, and property management. The company operates through affiliated entities Vequity Construction (general contracting) and Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA) (retail brokerage) to deliver vertically integrated retail expansion solutions for clients such as 7-Eleven, Starbucks, and Lou Malnati's.
Product overview
Vequity is a real estate development company offering a vertically integrated platform of services for retail expansion. The core offering consists of Vequity Real Estate Development (systematic approach to identifying and repositioning undervalued properties), complemented by affiliated brands Vequity Construction (general contracting) and Vequity Real Estate Advisors (retail brokerage). The service modules include site selection, leasing, general contracting, investment sales, development site feasibility, design consultation, construction management, financing/private capital, legal and financial services, and property management. The company specializes in build-to-suit retail developments for national brands including 7-Eleven, Starbucks, and Lou Malnati's, serving clients both locally and nationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vequity Real Estate Development Vertically integrated real estate development service providing national retailers with build-to-suit retail and mixed-use developments by systematically identifying and repositioning undervalued properties. Covers site selection, acquisition, financing, design consultation, construction management, and leasing of developed assets for clients such as 7-Eleven, Starbucks, and Lou Malnati's.
- Vequity Construction Wholly-owned general contracting firm specializing in multi-unit facilities for local and global retailers, healthcare providers, and mixed-use commercial buildings across urban and suburban U.S. locations. Provides construction management and general contracting services for Vequity's development projects.
- Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA) Full-service retail real estate brokerage exclusively representing some of the world's top retail brands and managing their real estate site selection process both locally and nationally. Operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vequity to support national retailer expansion programs.
- Property Management & Maintenance Property management and maintenance services for Vequity's commercial and retail portfolio, delivered through the affiliated Vequity Real Estate platform. Handles ongoing operations for retail strip centers and mixed-use developments after construction completion.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 500 lease and sale transactions represented since 2003
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Vequity
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Vequity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Vequity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Vequity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brixmor Property Group: One of the largest publicly-traded retail REITs (NYSE: BRX) with a national portfolio of open-air shopping centers and a meaningful development and redevelopment platform. Broad incumbent serving many of the same national retailers as Vequity but at far greater scale.
- Phillips Edison & Company: Public retail REIT (NASDAQ: PECO) focused on necessity-anchored neighborhood shopping centers. Operates a much larger scale of retail real estate assets, providing scaled-incumbent comparability for the same retail tenant base Vequity serves.
- Federal Realty Investment Trust: Premium retail REIT (NYSE: FRT) focused on grocery-anchored mixed-use centers in dense U.S. markets. Comparable as an established institutional owner/developer of retail real estate anchored by national tenants.
- Kimco Realty: Largest publicly-traded retail REIT in North America (NYSE: KIM) with an active development and redevelopment program for grocery-anchored and open-air shopping centers. Provides large-incumbent comparability for retail real estate development activity.
- Edens: Retail developer focused on necessity-based shopping centers in dense, high-growth U.S. markets. Directly comparable redevelopment/build-to-suit activity for national retail tenants, but at substantially larger scale than Vequity.
Direct peers
- North American Properties: Atlanta-based retail and mixed-use real estate developer that identifies, repositions, and develops retail centers anchored by national tenants. Directly comparable vertically-integrated retail RE developer serving enterprise retail brands across multiple U.S. markets.
- Pacific Retail Capital Partners: Retail real estate operating company focused on necessity-based shopping centers and ground-up developments for national retailers. Comparable business model of acquiring, repositioning, and operating retail real estate for major tenant brands.
- Continuum Partners: Denver-based mixed-use real estate developer repositioning underutilized properties into multi-tenant retail, residential, and office destinations. Similar mid-sized developer model focused on undervalued-asset repositioning with national tenant relationships.
- Mid-America Asset Management: Chicago-based retail real estate firm specializing in leasing, brokerage, and management of shopping centers. Same Chicago geography, similar retail-tenant focus, and comparable mid-sized operation model as Vequity.
Others
- Marcus & Millichap: Large commercial real estate brokerage and investment sales firm (NYSE: MMI). Comparable as an analog for Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA), the brokerage arm of Vequity's vertical integration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vequity social profiles
Digital presenceVequity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vequity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Vequity subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Vequity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vequity 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 Vequity
What does Vequity do?
Vequity systematically identifies and repositions undervalued commercial properties into build-to-suit retail developments for national brands, providing end-to-end real estate services including site selection, acquisition, construction, leasing, and property management. The company operates through affiliated entities Vequity Construction (general contracting) and Vequity Real Estate Advisors (VREA) (retail brokerage) to deliver vertically integrated retail expansion solutions for clients such as 7-Eleven, Starbucks, and Lou Malnati's.
Is Vequity a public or private company?
Vequity is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vequity founded?
Vequity was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Vequity based?
Vequity is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vequity make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Real Estate Development is the primary driver. The others are property Management, investment Sales and general Contracting.
Who are Vequity's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brixmor Property Group, Phillips Edison & Company, Federal Realty Investment Trust, Kimco Realty and Edens. Direct peers are North American Properties, Pacific Retail Capital Partners, Continuum Partners and Mid-America Asset Management. Marcus & Millichap is listed as an others.
Does Vequity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vequity.
What industry is Vequity in?
Vequity's product category is Commercial Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAMAK, Real Estate Investment Management (Acquisitions & Dispositions), with a secondary code of FSAEAJAE, New Development & Project Marketing (Pre-Construction Sales). Its NAICS code is 5312 and its SIC code is 6532.