With expertise in geography and location analysis, Tim Lawrence helps retailers and developers find the perfect site. Now, Tim is expanding upon his real estate knowledge in the MSRE program.
What is your educational background and professional experience?
I majored in Geography and English at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. Because of my interest in Location Analysis, one of my professors recommended a master’s program at UNC-Charlotte. I completed the MA in Geography at UNC-Charlotte, a program focused on Location Analysis, particularly retail location.
I became interested in under-served retail markets, particularly inner-city retail potential. While in that program, I was hired to complete research projects for two wonderful companies that were on the brink of rapid expansion into under-served markets. At Supervalu, I built a sales forecasting tool for potential new Save-A-Lot store locations. Supervalu was one of the first retail chains to conduct detailed market analysis studies decades before I had the opportunity to work for the same department.
After that, at Family Dollar, I interned with the real estate department. I conducted a customer-spotting project to determine trade area parameters. Using this information, we were able to create a model to use for evaluating prospective sites. Family Dollar soon hired me as a Real Estate Manager, a position I held for six years, both in Charlotte and the Twin Cities. I found this to be an excellent opportunity to gain retail real estate experience and exposure to dozens of retail markets throughout the country to complement my background in retail market planning and analysis.
Currently, I operate my own commercial real estate brokerage, Terrager Corporation, with a focus on location consulting for developers and retailers.
