Key Industries

Retail Brands

The Columbus Region is home to some of the world’s most recognizable retail and apparel brands who drive innovation globally – ranking No. 4 among large U.S. metros for concentration of retail headquarters.

A concentration of headquarter operations is joined by businesses focused on market research, analytics, design, technology and omni-channel efficiencies – creating a market that uniquely connects retailers with customers.

The geographic location and concentration of retail headquarters has turned Columbus into the nation’s renowned test market for retail. Companies like Designer Brands Inc., Eddie Bauer, and Chipotle regularly test new products and technology in the Region. Columbus has historically been a microcosm of the national population and today continues to trend younger, more urban, and more affluent.

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With a high concentration of retail, fashion, and apparel headquarters, along with back office and shared services, the Columbus Region is an optimal location for retail operations.

Headquarters like Abercrombie & Fitch and Express have created an environment for innovative companies focused on serving the retail industry – from analytics, e-commerce solutions, store design, IT, market research, and developers.

The Region’s 2 million population is sizable, yet contained and measurable, and we’re a brand friendly market with less media scrutiny than New York City or Los Angeles.

The Columbus Region offers a strong, existing talent base with retail backgrounds and is home to schools creating a talent pipeline with key skill sets from fashion design to logistics management.