Zack Sogoloff, Senior Vice President at Goodman Real Estate Services Group, meeting LL Cool J at The Shoppes at Willoughby Hills.
October 14th, 2023 – Zack Sogoloff has more than two and a half decades of experience in the retail commercial real estate industry. His journey began in 1997 when he joined Goodman Real Estate Services Group, and he quickly established himself as a top performer. Over the course of his career, Zack has been involved in more than 1,000 commercial real estate transactions. CoStar has recognized his efforts 10 times as a Top Retail Leasing Broker since 2010 and 11 times as a CoStar Power Broker Quarterly Deal winner.
Zack specializes in tenant and landlord representation. Currently his tenant clients include Michaels, Citizens Bank, Signet Jewelers, Famous Footwear, Phantom Fireworks, Allen Edmonds, GTI, Popeyes, Scrambler Marie’s, Penn Station, and more. Zack also leads a team of agents representing landlords throughout Ohio, including First Interstate Properties, Schottenstein Property Group, America’s Realty, Visconsi Companies, Ltd., Wald & Fisher, and Zeisler Morgan Properties, LTD. among others.
Q: Zack, how has your role evolved since you first joined the company?
A: When I joined Goodman Real Estate Services Group in 1997, I was straight out of college and very green in our industry. I came in with Best Cuts as my first client. One hundred fifty plus hair salon deals later, I am training Tristan Palmieri and leading a team of agents developing retail properties, leasing shopping centers, and representing tenants.
Q: What do you think sets your approach to commercial real estate apart from others in the industry?
A: I have represented tenants/buyers and landlords/sellers for 25 years and I have learned a lot about what each party needs from me in order to complete their part of a transaction. When you are landing an assignment or making your first pitch to a prospect on a property, having complete information gathered at the beginning allows everyone involved to quickly make intelligent decisions. I like to be prepared and I believe my clients appreciate it, even when I ask them to have properties/spaces surveyed or have a sample plan drafted before we start marketing their property.
Q: Can you share a success story or memorable experience from your career in commercial real estate?
A: I met LL Cool J at The Shoppes at Willoughby Hills when the center had more vacant spaces than occupied ones. We did not make a deal, but three years later we have sold a 155,000 SF building to Produce Packaging; leased 56,000 SF to Marc’s, 24,500 SF to Milestone Athletic Center, and 14,000 SF to Dash Mart; converted a 22,000 SF closed college to Commercial Academy’s HQ; and ground leased the prime corner to Sheetz, which is now under construction. Our success led to the acquisition of the adjacent Chardon Bishop Plaza, where we now have plans to convert the former Marc’s and LaSalle buildings into modern retail with new store fronts, new pylon signs, and a lot of other improvements to create spaces for four users totaling over 100,000 SF. The former Blockbuster outlot is being repurposed for two freestanding users. I can’t wait to finish this story!
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I enjoy meeting and learning from new people all the time, whether in person, on the phone, or in a virtual meeting. Everyone in our industry does deal making slightly differently, and I learn from each of them. The more approaches you have to negotiating or solving problems in a deal, the greater your success.
