For many independent retailers, opening a brick-and-mortar store can feel like jumping into unfamiliar territory. To give those smaller operators clearer direction, Jacksonville, Florida-based Regency Centers Corp. (Nasdaq: REG), one of the largest owners of grocery-anchored shopping centers in the United States, recently launched an educational video series that has already surpassed initial expectations in terms of audience reach.
Known as The Whitebox, the series grew out of work Regency had already been doing. In 2019, the company created the Merchant Success Toolkit, a how-to guide for its retailers.
“As an owner, operator, and developer with nearly 10,000 tenants, we see what works,” says Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jan Hanak. “Smaller shops can really learn from the best practices of larger regionals and nationals.”
The original toolkit was a 100-page interactive PDF covering fundamentals like building a website, launching social media, and executing PR campaigns. When COVID-19 hit, Regency accelerated its release to provide tenants with marketing support during lockdowns.
Later, the company converted the PDF into a more digestible microsite — Success.RegencyCenters.com —although the content still focused primarily on what happens after a store is up and running.
Hanak says that left a gap. The bigger question was everything that happens before a store’s launch, including the early decisions that determine whether it opens at all. That need inspired The Whitebox, essentially the prequel to the toolkit.
From Toolkit to TikTok
Hanak and Regency Director of Communications Eric Davidson believed a video-first, bite-sized format could reshape how small retailers learn the basics of opening a storefront. And they set an ambitious goal.
“I told Eric, ‘Let’s shoot for two million views in the first year,’” Hanak recalls. “His eyes got kind of wide.”
Instead, the series hit that mark in only two months. Five months after its February debut, the 12-part program has surpassed 10 million views across TikTok and YouTube.
“It’s a pleasant surprise that it resonated with audiences so quickly and continues to do so,” Hanak says.
And who’s watching the videos tells an even bigger story. Regency says The Whitebox’s momentum reflects a broader shift: Gen Z and younger millennials are turning to TikTok and YouTube not just for entertainment, but to figure out how to open a brick-and-mortar shop.
The Whitebox sits right in that lane, as more retail landlords and operators use digital education to meet young entrepreneurs where they already are. For Regency—and the industry—the surge in interest shows that physical retail still attracts founders who built their businesses online and need guidance long before they’re ready to commit to a space.
What The Whitebox Covers
The series gives entrepreneurs a practical roadmap for opening a storefront, breaking down the steps that can feel overwhelming. The videos walk through evaluating locations and trade areas, understanding lease terms, navigating permitting and buildouts, and preparing for a grand opening.
Those early choices matter. A weak location, a poorly structured lease, or a delayed buildout can jeopardize a store before it opens. The videos don’t replace the complexities of leasing or buildout, but they help demystify the early steps that can intimidate first-time retailers.
The initiative builds on Regency’s longstanding support for small businesses across its 485 shopping centers, but the content is designed for the broader small-business community. Any aspiring shop owner can use it.
Davidson notes that roughly 2,500 to 3,000 of Regency’s tenants fall directly into the group this series is targeting.
Concept Behind The Whitebox
“In our business, a ‘whitebox’ is an almost turnkey-ready space,” Hanak explains.
A whitebox unit typically includes finished walls and ceilings, basic lighting, and core systems like HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. However, it still needs finishes, fixtures, equipment, and branding. The series builds on that idea, helping business owners take a blank canvas and turn it into a functioning storefront.
Season one goes back to the earliest decisions retailers face, from the first spark of an idea to opening day. Many of the real challenges often occur long before buildout begins, such as underestimating permitting timelines, misunderstanding lease responsibilities, or overlooking operational choices that strain budgets. The Whitebox breaks down those issues in plain, straightforward language.
Much of the guidance comes directly from Regency’s field teams and outside specialists in retail, legal, and insurance. Their on-the-ground expertise guides the curriculum and ensures that the series reflects what small businesses actually encounter.
Clear, Straightforward Guidance
From the start, Hanak and Davidson focused on accessibility.
“We don’t ever want to make an assumption about somebody’s knowledge base,” Davidson explains. “Nor do we want the content to be gate-kept by how familiar you are with different terms.”
The Whitebox is built for first-time entrepreneurs, e-commerce brands moving into physical retail, and small operators adding locations. The tone is warm, conversational, and jargon-free.
“The key word for us was accessible,” Davidson emphasizes. “We wanted the simplest way to talk about this, so we could hit everybody where they are at.”
Episodes run under five minutes to match TikTok-style microlearning. Each video links to checklists and landing pages with deeper explanations.
There are active visuals behind the host, giving the series a more dynamic feel than a typical corporate video. Hanak says the style “feels a little bit like Blue’s Clues,” the children’s show known for its direct, friendly approach. “You have a very engaging host talking directly to you,” he explains. “It’s educational, but it’s also entertaining.”
The host was cast through a multi-step audition process with agency partner ATYPICAL. ATYPICAL helped shape the format and selected on-screen talent who fit the brand.
“We wanted someone whose trade is communicating information through their presence on screen,” Davidson notes. Hanak adds, “We were pretty clear that the host has to feel like a Regency person — someone we could imagine working with.”
Meeting Tenants Where They Are
TikTok turned out to be an effective platform. The Whitebox audience lands primarily in the 25-to-44 demographic, making short-form content a natural entry point. Regency posts the series on YouTube and TikTok and uses LinkedIn and Facebook to push it wider. Viewers click through to pages with checklists, expanded explanations, and email sign-ups that keep them moving deeper into the program.
“We’re running at about 3,000 page views a month,” Hanak notes, with several thousand email addresses collected from people who want the next checklist.
“Even if they’re not leasing with us, if this is helping small businesses find success or overcoming hurdles, all ships rise,” Davidson says.
Hanak sees The Whitebox as both a resource and a subtle brand signal. “We really want this to be a resource, and if it creates consideration for Regency Centers, even better,” he says.
Season Two: From Opening to Staying Open
Regency is already mapping out a second season for early 2027, shifting from opening a store to keeping one open.
“For season two, we’re looking at how we go from general strategy into specific tactics such as insurance considerations, more advanced strategies on keeping a customer base, and some property operations work,” Davidson says.
The curriculum will evolve based on viewer engagement. “Whatever we see people responding to heavily is a topic line we’ll continue to explore,” he adds.
The Whitebox’s momentum is also guiding Regency’s broader content strategy. ATYPICAL is now more involved in how the REIT communicates its development pipeline and long-term growth story.
“We’re hitting about $300 million in new project starts per year,” Hanak says. “That’s a story we have to tell.”
Brick-and-Mortar’s Future
For Regency, The Whitebox’s rapid traction is one more sign that physical retail remains stronger than early pandemic forecasts anticipated. The company continues to outperform on occupancy each quarter, and the broader sector is showing similar strength. As of the first quarter of 2026, Regency’s same-property portfolio reached 96.6% leased occupancy, surpassing its previous peak of 96.3% in 2016–17.
At the same time, a new wave of digitally savvy founders is entering the market. Younger entrepreneurs are actively opening businesses and looking for physical space — and they expect on-demand, video-driven instruction rather than traditional guides.
For Regency, the most encouraging sign isn’t just how many people are watching the series, but who they are. The Whitebox is reaching prospective shop owners early in their journey, giving them practical, short-form guidance long before they tour a space or meet a leasing broker.
Demand for retail centers remains strong. “People still want places to go to do their shopping, to hang out, to have experiences,” Hanak says. And The Whitebox’s traction shows that the next generation of retailers is already taking early steps toward opening stores of their own.