Tyler is experiencing substantial growth in its retail sector, with several national brands investing in new projects that will collectively add nearly 220,000 square feet of commercial space and hundreds of jobs. BJ’s Wholesale Club, Brookshire Grocery Co., and Academy Sports + Outdoors are among the retailers expanding their presence, signaling ongoing interest in the Tyler market.

BJ’s Wholesale Club recently announced plans for an approximately 106,000-square-foot store to be built on South Broadway. This will be a new retailer for Tyler and is expected to create between 100 and 150 jobs. On the west side of town, Brookshire Grocery Co. has broken ground on a 58,467-square-foot store and fuel station along Earl Campbell Parkway. This roughly $17 million project is anticipated to include a full-service Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q, a Starbucks, and several other expanded offerings.

Academy Sports + Outdoors is also planning its second Tyler store, to be located near Southwest Loop 323 and Earl Campbell Parkway. State filings show this project is approximately 55,000 square feet with an estimated construction cost of about $6 million.

Beyond these major developments, other retailers are also expanding. Chipotle is adding a third Tyler restaurant near Robertson Road and Southwest Loop 323, and Lululemon is moving from its temporary location into a permanent storefront at Broadway Square.

These investments reflect a healthy retail environment in Tyler. According to CoStar, the city has approximately 14.4 million square feet of retail space, with a vacancy rate of about 4.9%, meaning roughly 95% of the retail space is occupied. Average asking rents are approximately $17.80 per square foot, an increase of about 2% over the past year.

Tyler and Smith County’s customer base continues to expand. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Tyler’s population reached 113,723 in 2025, an increase of approximately 7.4% from the 2020 estimate base. Smith County grew to an estimated 252,549 residents, up roughly 8.2%.

Tyler's strong retail performance extends beyond its city limits, drawing shoppers from across East Texas for healthcare, employment, college, restaurants, and entertainment. This regional draw is evident in sales figures reported by the Texas Comptroller, which showed approximately $1.3 billion in retail-trade gross sales across the Tyler metropolitan area during the first quarter of 2026, about 2.5% higher than the same period last year. Samuel Scarborough, CCIM, a broker and president at Scarborough Commercial Real Estate, notes that the city's strength lies in its role as a shopping and commercial hub for a larger part of East Texas, a factor recognized by retailers seeking locations here. The ongoing development indicates continued interest from national brands in Tyler's retail landscape.