As the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic starts to turn, it will reveal a retail landscape that is changing evermore rapidly. The closure of brick-and-mortar retail for months and the changing mindset of the customer has accelerated structural shifts already underway. These are unlikely to subside in the next 24 months.

Now stores recovering from “shelter-in-place” are facing a weakened global economy, record unemployment and a cautious consumer return to traditional brick-and-mortar shopping.

Like other disruptive episodes and economic downturns, the coronavirus crisis will offer investment opportunities. However, when to invest and the types of retail properties meriting investment may take time to play out as the world’s economies recover.