ICSC named its latest 4 Under 40 honorees in December to recognize their professional accomplishments and outstanding dedication and contributions to the Marketplaces Industry through ICSC volunteerism, mentoring and other charitable acts. Up first is Brixmor’s Evie Gross. More to come.

Evie Gross Finds Value in Connections

Evie Gross traded a potential career in fashion for real estate. As a student at Boston University, she landed an internship at Calvin Klein, and after earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration, she went to work at Lord & Taylor in the Executive Training Program as an assistant buyer. “I learned a lot and enjoyed it, but after three years, I didn't think it was a good long-term career fit,” said Gross.

A chance lunch with childhood friend Eve Sembler piqued Gross’ interest in a job working with retailers. Sembler, herself a former ICSC 4 Under 40 honoree, was working at the time on the national accounts leasing team at Brixmor Property Group, and Gross then joined the company as a representative in the national accounts group in 2016. She since has risen to the role of vice president and manages Brixmor’s relationships with 40-plus retailers like Bath & Body Works, DSW and Xponential Fitness.

Her early background on the retail side helped her form relationships with retailers. She knows from firsthand experience, for example, the role stores play in reaching customers and the need to buy ahead to get the right product in the stores at the right time. “That has really helped me connect with retailers from that different perspective,” she said.

Gross’ personality and approachability also contribute to her ability to form strong relationships with retailers and with the Brixmor team around the country, said Brixmor executive vice president Matt Ryan, who also is president of the South region for the company and a former ICSC 4 Under 40 honoree. Ryan met Gross when she joined Brixmor. “She has terrific energy and is eager to learn,” he said. “I really enjoy working with her, answering her questions and spending time with her because she is genuinely passionate about the business, and that was evident early on.”

Gross has logged a number of industry achievements. She became a member of the ICSC Next Generation Leadership Network’s 2022-24 cohort and will remain for an additional year as a 4 under 40 honoree. She also was an ICSC Foundation Mary Lou Fiala Fellow. Among her many accomplishments while at Brixmor, she has sourced new concepts for the portfolio like Heyday, Solidcore, Rumble boxing and Happy Beauty Co.

One relationship that speaks to her tenacity is Bath & Body Works. When Gross first connected with representatives from the retailer at an ICSC event in 2016, they were skeptical that Brixmor centers were a fit. Gross stayed the course and continued to reach out until she landed a pivotal meeting with executives at the retailer’s headquarters in 2018. “Eventually, the relationship evolved, they started seeing success in the open-air space and I had already developed individual relationships with each of their dealmakers,” said Gross. Bath & Body Works is now among Brixmor’s top 40 tenants.

Another career highlight for Gross was Brixmor’s first Tesla service, sales and distribution center. Tesla filled 63,861 square feet in Houston that grocer Randalls previously had occupied. “It took several years to get done, but it’s open and it’s busy and it is really a great complement for the Woodlands community with tons of existing Tesla owners,” said Gross. She gets excited, she said, that Brixmor centers’ locations near rooftops make them the most efficient way for retailers like Tesla to reach their customers.

Both an understanding of how Brixmor works and her strong relationships with the leasing teams and leaders in different regions around the company have helped her succeed. “Those relationships end up benefiting the retailer by making it easier to navigate the leasing process within a large organization,” said Gross. She also prepares for meetings with retailers by studying their existing locations strategically and looking at Brixmor’s portfolio for opportunities for the retailers to open new stores or relocate from non-Brixmor properties.

Last year, Gross and Ashley Casey, who is now senior director of national accounts for Phillips Edison & Co., co-founded Retail Uncorked, a quarterly retailer panel discussion and networking event series. They host the events in different cities at fun social venues like local breweries. “These events have been a terrific source of networking for her, as well as creating opportunities for others to connect,” said Ryan.

Gross hopes to grow Retail Uncorked and develop Retail Unwind, a weekend retreat networking event with activities like hiking. “It’s really important to get out of the traditional networking approach of drinks and business suits and have something more informal because that leads to quality conversations and relationships, which I think everyone is really craving,” said Gross.

Gross enjoys adventures and meeting people in her free time, too. Last year, she and a team of commercial real estate industry friends ran in the Ragnar, which she describes as a crazy and fun 200-mile relay race over two days with little sleep.

She also enjoys hosting social gatherings at home, such as Shabbat dinners. “I really like bringing people together,” said Gross. “The same way that I enjoy doing it for work, I enjoy doing it in my personal life because it creates an opportunity for people to connect and not be on their phones and be present with one another. I find that to be really critical in today’s world.”

—Beth Mattson-Teig