Date and Time
- Thursday, Nov 12, 2026 8am - 10am
Location
Transfer Co. Ballroom
500 E Davie St
Details
Downtown Forward: The Future of Downtown Raleigh’s Storefront Economy
Food halls, elevated burgers, craft beer, high-end fitness. In recent years, these ideas have emerged as trends in retail and storefront concepts.
What’s next? And what does it take to get the next big storefront deal inked?
Our second Downtown Forward event moves to street level to explore what storefront businesses need to succeed today.
Local business owners will share why they chose downtown, what sealed the deal on their locations, and what they’d look for in choosing their next space.
Then we’ll hear from the people on the other side of the table. Experts in the real estate and broker community will discuss how they’re approaching tenant mix and deal-making, which trends they’re tracking, and the concepts they hope to bring to downtown storefronts next.
Interested in joining us? Purchase your ticket now.
Event Details:
Thursday, November 12th
8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Transfer Co. Ballroom
Ticket price: $50 pre-sale ($60 at the door)
* Pre-Sale tickets close on 11/10/2026 at 10 a.m.
Event Panelists:
Business Owners and Operators:
Andrew Cash: Jubala Coffee, Bar Marigold, Benchwarmers Bagels
Andrew Cash is an entrepreneur who founded Jubala Coffee and Bar Marigold, and is a part-owner of Benchwarmers Bagels, a collaboration with Boulted Bread. He is interested in investing in his local community to promote sustainable enterprise.
Anna Grace FitzGerald: Copperline Plant Company
Anna Grace FitzGerald is a Raleigh native and the owner of Copperline Plant Company. Anna Grace started Copperline in 2021 in her parents' backyard, and after spending 2 years in City Market, she relocated the business to one of Downtown Raleigh's busiest corners in 2024. There, she and her team provide the Raleigh community with high-quality houseplants, along with the knowledge and care needed to keep them alive.
Julia Davis: BK Pilates
Julia Davis is co-owner of BK Pilates Raleigh and founder and principal of Maslin Advisors, a boutique strategy consultancy and Consciously Rooted, a real estate development company. Previously, she served as Chief Development Officer, Americas, at Soho House and held senior real estate leadership roles at WeWork and Breather. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Meredith College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her interests include design, wellness, music and the natural environment.
Tyler Helikson: Madre, Moon Room
Tyler Helikson is a Raleigh-based entrepreneur and restaurateur with a passion for creating innovative dining concepts and community-driven spaces. As the founder of Happy + Hale and Churp, and a partner in Madre and other hospitality ventures, Tyler has spent over a decade developing restaurant brands that bring people together. His experience spans restaurant development, operations, and placemaking, focusing on building sustainable businesses and vibrant communities through hospitality.
Moderated by Felicia Trujillo: Food Seen, Maverick Partners
Felicia Perry Trujillo is a Raleigh-based marketing strategist, business advisor, and commercial real estate professional with Maverick Partners. As founder and CEO of Food Seen, she brings more than a decade of experience in food, beverage, and hospitality to her work in strategic consulting, social media, and select photography projects. Felicia mentors students at NC State’s Entrepreneurship Clinic, serves on the board of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, and is a member of Leadership Raleigh Class 54.
Real Estate and Broker Experts:
Casey Morsell: Empire Properties
Casey Morsell is a Real Estate Broker and Associate with Empire Brokerage Services, working with tenants on leasing, asset management, and brokerage projects since joining Empire Properties in 2024. An NC State graduate, Casey played a pivotal role in NC State Basketball’s historic 2024 ACC Championship and Final Four run and remains connected to the game as a college basketball analyst. He is a member of the ULI Triangle Young Leaders Group and an advocate for the Raleigh Boys and Girls Club.
Charlie Coyne: CBRE
Charlie Coyne is Executive Vice President and Team Lead at CBRE in Raleigh, where he founded the firm’s local retail division in 2008. He leads a team of nine retail professionals who oversee more than 12 million square feet of retail and mixed-use assignments, and he represents tenants ranging from Harris Teeter and Wawa to emerging brands like Happy + Hale and Call Your Mother Deli. A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate with more than 20 years in retail commercial real estate, Charlie is consistently recognized as one of CBRE’s top retail producers in the Southeast and has been honored multiple times by the Triangle Business Journal.
John Koonce: LODEN Development
John Koonce serves as Managing Broker at LODEN Development in downtown Raleigh, bringing nearly 30 years of commercial real estate experience specializing in leasing, investment sales, landlord and tenant representation, and development. A Raleigh native and graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, John previously held a senior leadership position at York Properties and has served as Chair of the Raleigh Appearance Commission and Raleigh Board of Adjustment. Deeply committed to the Triangle community, he remains actively involved with the YMCA, Women’s Center of Wake County, and a multitude of other civic and philanthropic organizations.
Nick Wilson: ELM Partners
Born in New Orleans, Nick has been in Raleigh since middle school and has found a strong connection to the community here. He is a co-founder of ELM Partners. Nick’s passion for the food and beverage industry has led to him working with some of Raleigh’s most notable chefs including Ashley Christensen, Caroline Morrison, Saif Rahman, Sunny Gerhart to many more. When he is not on his computer looking for the latest and greatest space downtown, you can find him eating around town, with his daughter Collins and son Ford, or playing an early morning round of golf.
Event Agenda:
8:00 am: Networking & Continental Breakfast
8:25 am: Welcome
8:40 am: Panel #1: Business Owners
9:15 am: Panel #2: Brokers & Landlords
9:45 am: Closing & Networking
Sponsorship opportunities available for the event and series. Contact Ileana Rodriguez, Vice President of Communications and Community Relations for information.
