Empire Realty Group, LLC Specialized Services to the Restaurant & Retail Industry

Offering Fully Integrated Services That Align your Business Plans To Your Real Estate & Operations Needs.

Delivering The Total Concept Retailers and restaurants today need to be experts in sourcing and directing a myriad of players across functions to make the real estate, marketing, construction and operations end of their business work. That's something Empire Realty Group, LLC (Empire) controls and remedies for its retail and restaurant Clients who want to grow and extend their business but face difficulty in doing so due to either a lack of resources, personnel, expertise, experience and/or time to get to that next level. Retailers and restaurants know that profitability doesn't just come from having good products and services. Having a great concept and growing a business has become more challenging today. Location and customer experience impact revenues while non-product costs like rents, CAM, repairs, maintenance, build out and renovations can make or break profit targets.

Our “One Stop Shop, Single Point Of Contact” approach is designed to get results….fast.

Our Services Real Estate: - Store Development Strategy - Market Analysis - Site Selection & Evaluation - Lease & Purchase Negotiations - Single, Franchisor, & Franchisee Rollout

Marketing: - Concept Development - Brand Projection & Growth

Construction: - Store Design - Permits & Entitlements, - Build, Renovate, Fit Out

Operations: - Consulting - Vendor Sourcing - Franchise Assistance

Need Help Opening More Stores?

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Lets Talk About Helping You Increase Business

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Empire Realty Group, LLC enables companies to overcome obstacles to growth through experience and innovative approaches to executing where the Clients next store should be, why it should be there, what it will look like, how long it will take to open, what you will need to open it, how much it will cost, and then delivering the finished store because up to now, unless you’re part of a corporation of franchise, it hasn’t been a core component of your business.

Empire Realty Group, LLC is a leading commercial retail tenant advisory services, real estate development and management company that provides restaurants and retailers with a consistent and comprehensive array of services that covers the entire real estate, marketing, construction and operations start up lifecycle. Empire serves entrepreneurial, regional, and corporate Clients throughout California with the primary goal of helping them project their brand, grow profits and increase returns on investment.

Our Client oriented philosophy to these services has helped develop successful and flexible real estate solutions. The economic and logistical value provided through our unique, proven and innovative approach to commercial real estate transactions has established our

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company as one of the leading firms representing restaurant and retail tenants with their respective real estate requirements.

Empire, led by Linnard Lane, was originally formed in 1995 when leading tenant-representation and retail property development executives in Los Angeles and San Francisco decided to form a different company aimed at delivering a better scope of services to the industry covering California.

Since its inception, Empire has helped leading restaurant and retail companies such as Starbucks Coffee, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Payless ShoeSource, Jamba Juice, Peets Coffee, TGI Friday’s, Applebee’s and others locate, build, and open new stores across California. Our impressive growth, expertise, and market clout has resulted in the opening of over 138 new ground up and infill restaurant and retail locations, all without compromising the core values that are the fundamental ingredient of our excellent track record.

Can You Help Me Expand? Where Do I Start? Previously, when a retailer or restaurant wanted to expand or establish themselves, they had to source out the different services separately with consultants or providers they hardly knew in areas

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they were unfamiliar with and struggled with finding the time to coordinate and direct all these service providers while running an otherwise successful business. In other words, its like going to several different repair shops to service your car in a city you’ve never been to while you live in a different state.

We expanded our business to reach retail and restaurant operators like you who want to grow and extend their business but haven’t yet due to either a lack of resources, personnel, expertise, systems, experience and/or the ability to devote the time necessary to get to that next level. We know from working with successful companies like Starbucks and Chipotle, how much time and attention to detail is required to open the right stores, in the right areas, at the right costs, and when. Large companies enjoy the luxury of employing in-house teams with resources and experience to project their brands growth that younger or smaller operators don’t have, that’s where Empire comes in to deliver you a competitive advantage.

One-Stop Shop, Single Point Of Contact

Empire will alleviate that hassle, offering a one-stop shop, single point of contact, for retailers and restaurants looking to grow and expand their business.

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“Our goal is to find profitable retail opportunities that best represents our Clients brand, negotiate the best possible terms and protect our Client's interests”

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Empire essentially acts as the Clients outsourced real estate, marketing, and construction department that offers a comprehensive range of services focused on increasing their Clients' profitability through real estate, marketing and construction decisions. Entrepreneurial retailers may currently rely on a trusted broker, a food service vendor, or a contractor for advice but to us, that’s just a piecemeal approach to growth.

Unless you have the time, resources and experience to tie that information together and process it into real results, you’re likely to achieve an outcome that’s more costly, time consuming, and inhibit profitable growth in the long run.

As the single point of contact, Empire possesses the ability, tools, and overall vision to increase a retailers profitability by coordinating and scaling its Clients business as a whole, just like its larger competition, thereby avoiding hidden or overlooked risks, reducing overall costs, and promoting healthy and sustained business growth. Up to now, this type of comprehensive service offering hasn’t been available to businesses with 10 stores or less.

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Smart Growth

When Empire takes on a new Client-typically a company that is looking to expand into a trade area or across a series of trade areas in California, either by growing its existing base or penetrating the market for the first time - Empire will come in, collaborate with the Client to better understand its business, and then develop a strategic plan utilizing its market knowledge and the most advanced mapping and marketing tools available in the industry. Once the strategy is defined and the Client agrees, Empire then implements it on the company’s behalf by identifying profitable retail opportunities, securing locations that capture the target customer, and negotiating the best possible lease terms to protect our Clients interests.

We have a unique expertise in helping tenants secure locations where real estate positioning impacts the revenues of the company.

Once a location is secured, Empire’s extensive infrastructure is engaged and ensures that your brand is properly projected, the business terms of your lease have been aggressively negotiated, the plans, permits, signs, and construction come to fruition, the look, feel and layout of the store meets the budget and your expectations, and the store opens on time.

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From there, Empire focuses on the Client's entire facility infrastructure, making sure its properly articulated and executed while working on expense management and reduction throughout the term. Empire is involved in all aspects of the transactional side, whether the Client opts to lease or purchase a new location, renew locations, resize them or relocate them entirely.

Statewide Experience & Knowledge

Our vast knowledge and experience in local markets on a statewide basis allows us to apply economies of scale in virtually every market in California, saving time, driving profitability and reducing risk for our Clients. As far as we’re concerned, a dollar of extra cost is a dollar of lost profits, knowing where, when, and whom to ask the right questions and managing the right answers prevents unexpected delays and costs before they become a problem.

Over the years, Empire has gained value in developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with local brokers, Landlords, finance and banking professionals, regulators, architectural firms, engineers, consultants, contractors, and related organizations all over California.

“Empire’s mission is to empower retailers to do what they do best, operate their business. Our team will handle everything else on the real estate, marketing, and construction side.”

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state is our specialty.

“Our primary goal is to support our retailers to do what they do best, operate their business without geographical limitations. Our team will handle everything else on the real estate, marketing, and construction side.”

Construction Management

So, Would You Like Some Permits To Go Along With That Restaurant?

One of the reasons Clients come to us is that they found the process of obtaining permits to open their first business so time consuming, costly, and bureaucratic that it almost cost them their business before they even opened.

They’ve told us that with the related time delays, cost overruns, and frustration, they wouldn’t do it again or they’d hire someone else to do it.

“As the single point of contact, Empire possesses the ability and overall market vision to increase a retailers profitability by scaling its Clients business as a whole promoting healthy and sustained business growth.”

Brand Projection

We understand the intricate tapestry and characteristics of different trade areas across California. Just as not every Client is the same, neither are its customers. Understanding where our Clients customers reside, how they shop, and advising how to reach them is our business.

We supplement our hands-on knowledge with access to the latest demographics and psychographics studies, surveys, and market mapping information. Helping our Clients build customer loyalty and project their brand in different markets is an art, not just a skill.

Maintaining good relationships with governing agencies, knowing which architectural and engineering consultants, general contractors, and sign companies to choose, what your build outs should cost in a given area, and then assembling the right team to build them anywhere in the

That’s where Empire Realty Group comes in, we bring value by saving you the hassle of trying to figure out which permits you’ll need and navigating the different agency processes.

So you’re thinking of opening a café or restaurant in California? Here are five (5) departments you’ll need to work with in order to obtain the required administrative approvals and necessary building permits prior to construction:

1. Planning & Zoning 2. Health Dept. 3. Building & Safety 4. Fire Dept. 5. State Dept. of Alcoholic &

Beverage Control

1. Planning & Zoning -This department is usually the first stop for any new cafe or restaurant owner. The department checks your current zoning and confirms all of the allowed uses of your site. They review the exterior design of your building including awnings and proposed signage. They also identify the number of parking spaces required and any conditional use permits that may be required.

2. Health - This department reviews your proposed kitchen equipment, standard operating procedures and even your menu. In addition, the Health Department may ask for you to obtain additional clearances from other local agencies. For example, in Los Angeles, if you have any type of oil or grease in your restaurant than you will be required to submit plans to the Industrial Waste Division of Public Works. This division will review your sewer grease protection and insure that the proper grease trap or grease interceptors are in place.

3. Building & Safety -This department reviews your construction documents for handicap accessibility (ADA) and checks all proposed mechanical, electrical and plumbing improvements to insure that they meet current building code. They also review your project to see if it meets the new "green code".

4. Fire -The Fire Department's main function is to insure life safety. They review access points into the site and also insure safe escape paths are available in case of a fire or earthquake. The department is also responsible for approving all fire sprinkler and/or alarm system installations or improvements.

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5. State Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control - The State is only involved if you plan on serving and/or selling any type of alcoholic beverage. Administrative or Conditional Use Permit approvals may also be required on the City or County level, most commonly known as a "CUP". The State reviews your proposed hours of operation, the local crime rate and even the concentration of already issued alcohol permits in the neighborhood. They also perform background checks on all principals and ask to review business financials.

If any of this confuses you, I suggest you reach out to us for a feasibility analysis report prior to securing a lease. Our research will allow you to better negotiate your lease since the submittal requirements, processing time and associated costs will all be outlined for you. Empire Realty Group, LLC works with all of the above mentioned departments on a regular basis across the state and can assist with expediting the overall review time and get your restaurant or café open faster.

The Design and Construction Process

Now the Fun Part Begins

Throughout years of experience, Empire Realty Group’s team members have participated in organizations that challenged and expanded their depth of knowledge in the planning, processes, organization, solutions and execution necessary for today’s projects.

With this, Empire has gained value in developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with state and local regulators, architectural firms, engineers, consultants, contractors, and related organizations all over California, so much so we are proud to say its senior executives have led the completion of over 56 ground up shopping center developments and numerous chain store tenant improvement assignments. Once charged with the assignment to build your store, we have the experience to help you get it open on time and on budget.

Program Management Phase

Once our Client completes negotiations of their lease letter of intent with the Landlord, we go to work and prepare a detailed Site Survey to include:

• Performing an initial site inspection and assessment on the existing facilities

• Conducting code review, predevelopment site research, and environmental assessments

• Identifying agency contacts (all impacting jurisdictions and governing authorities)

• Confirming water, sewer, storm water, electrical and gas utility services and fees

• Performing an economic feasibility analysis and preliminary project timeline

The Site Survey will also identify any unusual circumstances or permit procedures that will impact the store’s design development and construction phases, your physical and operational requirements, project budget, and store delivery timelines. Its at this phase that most restaurants and retailers often overlook yet it’s probably the most critical. Identifying risks before you commit to substantial time, money, and lease obligations will enable the job to go much smoother. Our philosophy is simple, “80% of the work is done before construction ever begins.” That’s why we enjoy the reputation we have for on time and on budget delivery.

Ground Up or Interior Improvements

We’ll coordinate the job from plan check and permits, to construction bidding, build out and fixture installation, even your sign installation.

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Design Development Phase

Empire will work with the Client to determine the optimal store layout based on space and cost considerations and establish creditable project cost budgets (hard and soft cost budgets through conceptual estimating). Empire will also select the design and consultant teams including the architects, engineers, interior designers and all other specialty consultants and direct these professionals throughout the design process to ensure that all store design elements are properly incorporated and efficient coordination is maintained between the design team and the Client to ensure communication and budget adherence in representing the Client.

Pre-Construction Phase

Each store is unique and should be approached differently; whether it involves selecting a general contractor and managing the bid process, or acting on behalf of the Client in a construction manager role. Empire will manage and secure all plans, permits and authorizations for construction including obtaining any conditional use permits and other zoning approvals, signage rights, meet with city/county officials and make presentations at public hearings to Planning Commissions, Design Review Boards, City Councils and neighborhood groups if necessary. Empire will manage the entire plan process from concept, through the design development set (initial estimates) to permit drawings and construction set for establishing the initial and final guaranteed maximum pricing. Empire will also assist the Client in obtaining cost estimates, establishing a budget and maintaining the budget through project closeout. We believe cost control starts on the first day of design and ends when the Client uses the facilities. Empire will manage the budget and schedules for the stores construction in addition to coordinating all construction activities through completion.

Construction Phase

Empire will source the best general and subcontractors to fit the jobs requirements and clients criteria. During the Construction phase we will assist the Client by conducting the bid process and negotiation of all bids from contractors for the stores construction and coordinate vendors for critical construction steps. Empire will also supervise the performance of all construction work, support the Client with the installation of any furniture, fixtures and equipment, and oversee the general contractors field construction operations from ground breaking to certificate of occupancy through periodic site meetings and inspections. Lastly, Empire will coordinate, process, manage, and supervise the general contractor and architects duties with respect to:

• Verifying all necessary bonds and insurance are in place before work starts • Information, Shop Drawings, Samples and Submittals to insure plan compliance • Change Order Management to the project’s scope, schedule and related costs • Testing, Inspection and Special Services • Progress Monitoring and Reporting • Process progress and final pay requests, invoices and lien releases • Performing Punch List inspection completion and obtaining all Building final

Inspections and Certificates of Occupancy

Project Close Out Phase

• Initial Start Up of equipment, • Providing final project review recapping layout • Delivering Operations and Maintenance Manuals, Warranties and Closeout

Documentation to the Client.

MULTI-UNIT, FRANCHISEE AND FRANCHISOR DEVELOPMENT

The business of opening restaurants is different than the business of running restaurants and that’s where many franchise operators face the greatest risk, expense, and challenge; getting to the opening date. We have substantial market and operational knowledge to help you execute your multi unit goals or franchise expansion obligations. Many of the corporate restaurant and retailers we’ve worked with also have franchise components to their businesses. In fact, the most successful franchisors operate their own stores in addition to selling franchises as a means of keeping their concept and brand value relevant, extending brand recognition and profits, and monitoring the integrity of operations and the customer experience. As you know, franchise and multi-unit area developer franchisee agreements usually require the franchisee to open a pre-determined number of stores within a fixed time period. We have the capabilities and resources to offer independent operators, franchisees and franchisors a solid value proposition by leveraging our services, personnel and experience to help you execute your business model obligations and hit your targets.

Now that your first store is a hit, Want to Open Another?

Need help with executing your commitments as a Franchisee or Franchisor?

Need to source new or better suppliers?

Need help with building or scaling up your operations infrastructure?

Because of our knowledge and provider resources, typically we can accomplish your expansion needs at a cost far less and in a shorter period of time than if you were to do it yourself. After 16 years of retail development experience in California, Empire removes the learning curve and stress of store development, the consequence of your taking time away from an otherwise existing profitable business, and reduces the associated cost risks to you and your business as a whole. Consider us your outsourced Real Estate, Marketing and Construction department without having to carry the overhead of one.

Franchise & Multi Unit Operator Business Support

We work with Multi Unit Operators and Franchisees to: • Develop a strategic plan for unit expansion clearly highlighting the requirements, obligations, and value proposition

for the operator and/or both the franchisor and the franchisee.

• Develop a detailed budget and implementation plan and then recruit and lead the team that will be responsible for program execution. If need be, we will coordinate our efforts with the Franchisor’s franchise department.

• Lead development of an end-to-end business process that is very operator/franchisee-friendly and is designed to reduce the time and cost of transactions and operations.

We work with Franchisors to:

• Analyze markets to identify franchise growth opportunities; find qualified and compatible franchising candidates, and skillfully lead prospects through the new franchisee process, including negotiation, due diligence and launch, all with the support of a team we will help recruit, if needed.

• Assist with recruiting personnel to oversee the franchise sales process including the handling of franchise leads, interviewing franchise candidates, evaluating franchise applications, and advise on awarding franchise contracts.

• Assist franchisees as they prepare to commence operations, and work with operations personnel to implement appropriate pre-opening training and support programs.

• Assist with franchise model development and deployment, the recruitment and recommendation of candidates with skill sets to manage the on-going operation of the franchise channel: accountability for franchisee relationships, sales and operational excellence, and oversee on-going training and support, as well as contractual compliance.

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MULTI-UNIT, FRANCHISEE AND FRANCHISOR DEVELOPMENT

(Continued) • Assist with the evaluation, selection and development of their Point of Sale Systems.

• Assist with sourcing suppliers in areas from packaging, non-proprietary food products, and vendors producing proprietary recipe based food products under strict confidentiality and non-compete agreements to maintain product integrity, managed commodity pricing and consistency of the customer experience.

• Assist with managing and recruiting personnel to oversee and implement their marketing and social media presence.

We also offer extended consulting services either through in-house personnel or trusted third party providers in areas such as:

1. Employee Sourcing & Team Development

2. Liquor Licensing

3. Equipment Leasing and Acquisition

4. Social Media Programs and Campaigns

Operations Consulting Whether you’ve had substantial experience in retail or the restaurant business or not, the retail industry is always progressing. Keeping the customer experience relevant and your business competitive by recognizing and adjusting to changing trends is an essential key to ongoing success. Factors such as choosing the right business systems for running your operation, updating signage and store design, evaluating your product mix, even sourcing different suppliers could mean the difference in gaining 1.5% - 2.5% to the bottom line. We can help you do that. For example,

Are Your Business Systems Helping or Hurting You?

For example, with changes in laws and technological advances, are you sure you have the right equipment? The point-of-sale system (POS) isn’t just for ringing up sales any longer. More and more, restaurants and retailers are using POS systems to control everything from inventory to scheduling. But with so many options on the market, the challenge operators face is determining exactly what they need in a POS system. It’s as simple as eliminating errors and duplication between employees and the kitchen. It’s as basic as making sure you charge for everything that’s sold or served. It’s as liberating as knowing your end-of-day reports are just a few keystrokes away, and it’s as critical as making sure your customers are satisfied. The right POS system can help you manage and control all aspects of your business. We can help you navigate the process of which system is right for you and the future growth of your operations.

Are You In Compliance?

As if you didn’t already have enough to focus on with just making sure your day to day operations run smoothly, staying in compliance with government ordinances, imposed bank fees, and credit card security requirements all impact your bottom line. You can’t just ignore them. We help and advise our clients by staying abreast of new regulations.

For example, do you know if you’re PCI Compliant? The five major credit card brands, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB, joined forces in 2004 to create the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI). Its sole purpose is to help merchants build a security program that meets the requirements expected by the card brands. Since then, businesses have been scrambling to make their systems PCI compliant. Meeting the PCI standards can be daunting for merchants with limited technological capabilities, but it is critical for running a secure business. Merchants must have a system that meets their needs while keeping the credit cards processed on their network secure as part of a business security plan or risk sanctions by the credit card issuers. How many restaurants or retailers do you know who don’t take credit cards? Not many, which is why PCI compliance is essential or it could cost you a substantial part your business or even worse.

The Most Common Restaurant Mistakes & How To Avoid Them: Interior Design and Facilities

Success to us is about doing a lot of little things right, not just about doing a few big things well. We’ve been fortunate to work with some very talented and experienced architects and designers, food service professionals, and operators over the years, and still do. Through “in the field” market applications, we’ve learned valuable lessons of what works, what doesn’t and why that still hold true today. Our combined knowledge and market experience allows us to deliver superior service and results to our clients. To demonstrate the level of detail and advice we offer, here are a few examples of commonly overlooked items and how we help clients improve sales by correcting or avoiding them:

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MULTI-UNIT, FRANCHISEE AND FRANCHISOR DEVELOPMENT

1. Inefficient use of space (storage, prep, service stations, POS stations, etc.)

Every square foot of a restaurant has a cost associated with it—either with the build-out, or rent, or the maintenance of it. Look at whether, for example, one piece of equipment could replace several pieces of equipment. Or could you have POS stations in different places to save servers steps, or could the POS even be handheld to save them even more steps? We advise our clients to frequently examine their overall sales per square foot and examine benchmarks for sales per square foot averages on a category basis.

2. Inefficient floor plans, wait stations, bar setups, and table configurations

It’s worth consulting with Empire before you build out a restaurant but you can also do this down the line if you’re already open. In some cases configurations don’t allow for enough seating capacity in your restaurant or they create one table that becomes an island with too much traffic flowing around it. Inefficient plans can create extra work for servers; unpleasant experiences for the guests; and can lower yield management—they don’t allow for as many chairs or chairs that would mean more revenue to the restaurant.

3. Tell the brand story, clunky, dirty/dusty, or irrelevant decorations don’t help

To tell the brand story, first write the brand story, then make sure every thing in your restaurant tells the brand promise, its personality, its positioning and the story. Every single item—even the quality of a fork—tells customers something about your brand and why they’re there, so ask yourself if your art or decorations are there just to fill a space.

4. Exposed dirty or untidy service areas

Servers and managers can get desensitized to these areas but should always look for things that are unsightly. Diners shouldn’t see backstage in a restaurant. Likewise, napkin holders should always be checked when tables are bussed.

5. Bathroom doors that pull in rather than push out

Fire codes notwithstanding, in a lot of restaurant designs, it’s just as easy for the architect to have the bathroom door push out, which is what diners prefer so they don’t have to touch it. If you can’t have the door pushing out, make sure there’s a trash can in the bathroom, near the door, otherwise you’ll have a pile of used paper towels near the door left by people who didn’t want to touch the handle.

6. Acoustical issues (music or ambient noise too loud or too low)

Too low—no sounds from music or other diners—creates an uncomfortable environment that can be creepy or sleepy. This can even carry through to the restroom—it’s uncomfortable if it’s really quiet and people can’t hear the restaurant noise and there’s no ambient noise. But noise levels shouldn’t be too high either. Music should not drown out speech either.

7. Cluttered host/greeting station

Restaurant guests should see eyes, teeth and a smile instead of reservation books, tins of mints and nick-knacks. Seeing a person is much more welcoming than anything else. We have the capabilities and resources to offer independent operators, franchisees and franchisors a solid value proposition by leveraging our services, personnel and experience to help you execute your business model obligations and hit your targets. Our fees are based on the assignment and the Clients needs. Although we recommend a comprehensive structure, we realize not all Clients require all of our services. Call us for a consultation, once we understand your needs, we’ll scale the services that align with your budget. We want to be your strategic growth partner.

For more information, please contact:

Linnard Lane Managing Member

Empire Realty Group, LLC 12100 Wilshire Blvd. 8th Fl.

Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 806-9380, (510) 588-4041 efax,

empirereal@sbcglobal.net

Empire’s Experience

Linnard Lane, Empire’s Managing Member, has over 30 years of extensive transactional and business experience in retail property development, site selection & acquisitions, market strategy & financial analysis, project feasibility, leasing, permits & entitlements, and construction management producing over 543,000 sq. ft. of lease transactions valued at more than $136 Million and the acquisition and development of over 130 shopping center and free standing retail properties.

Linnard began his career in retail development in 1981 for one of California’s largest retail real estate development companies, La Mancha Development Company based in Los Angeles. By 1984, as its Director of Real Estate for Southern California, he was personally involved in the acquisition, development, and leasing of over 74 shopping centers throughout the Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura County trade areas. In addition he supervised the leasing of over 223,000 sq. ft. of lease transactions and supervised the company’s 54 shopping centers in portfolio covering 140 stores and directed all property management and lease administration department staff.

By mid 1985, after conducting local and statewide market analysis and trade area studies to identify new growth opportunities outside of Southern California, Linnard spearheaded the opening of and became La Mancha’s Northern California Division Manager directing all of its development activities including marketing, construction, leasing, and acquisitions producing over 45 new shopping centers covering approximately 288,000 sq. ft. and leases with Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, Little Caesars and Dominos Pizza, Barnes and Noble, 3Day Blinds, Payless Shoes, 7-11, Office Max, Kragen Auto among others. He also developed additional relationships with various local and county governmental agency members as well as a network of 3rd party leasing and Investment brokerage houses, general contractors, architects, escrow and title companies.

In 1995, Linnard founded Empire along with another retail executive in San Francisco, creating a boutique real estate firm which has now grown into a full service commercial real estate company specializing in retail real estate development, leasing, property management and advisory services. Empire’s mission was to facilitate the expansion of established national/regional lifestyle and urban infill retail and food service clients in the California marketplace.

Since Empire’s beginnings, Linnard has managed and participated in all phases of the store and shopping center development cycle for over 155,000 square feet of stores for Starbucks Coffee, FedEx Office, AT&T, Petco, TGI Fridays, Applebee’s, Addison Ave. Federal Credit Union, Wachovia Bank, Peets Coffee, Chipotle, Jamba Juice, Payless Shoe, and Taco Bell. He was also retained by the city of San Leandro and Union City redevelopment agencies to advise on downtown core developments and received Design of Excellence awards from the cities of San Leandro and Stockton city councils for best adaptive reuse for two of its projects. Linnard has also devised, participated in, and implemented aggressive multi-store roll out market penetration programs, and deployed innovative techniques to open multiple stores in high barrier to entry markets for Starbucks Coffee, Chipotle, and Noah’s Bagels. Empire developed a reputation, which it still enjoys today, as being the “go-to” company that restaurants and retailers rely upon for obtaining permits and on time/on budget store delivery anywhere in California.

Professional Affiliations:

Linnard's Professional affiliations have included International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC); has been an expert witness in the commercial real estate field for arbitration and mediation proceedings in California; and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Southern California, Lusk Graduate School for Real Estate Studies, John Shea Series.

Education:

Linnard received his B.S. degree in Psychology, Real Estate, and Business from Arizona State University in 1980. In addition, Linnard completed studies in the professional continuing education program at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Advanced Real Estate Finance in 1982 and Restaurant Industry – Operations and Management (2010).