- Ben Mallah sold the Shops at Midway in Largo, FL, for $10.65M, or about $142 PSF.
- The deal is part of a broader pivot away from retail assets toward value-add multifamily and affordable housing opportunities.
- Mallah’s firm, Equity Management Partners, has sold eight retail properties since mid-2023, with recent purchases focused on distressed apartment complexes.
- The 75K SF center is anchored by national tenants including TJ Maxx and Ross and will remain a stabilized, income-producing asset under new local ownership.
Shifting Gears
YouTube personality and Florida-based investor Ben Mallah continues reshaping his portfolio with the $10.65M sale of a 75K SF retail center in Largo, reports The Real Deal. The sale of the Shops at Midway—anchored by tenants like TJ Maxx, Ross, Aaron’s, and Dollar Tree—was confirmed by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Retail To Resi
The transaction reflects Mallah’s broader strategy shift from retail toward residential assets. Since mid-2023, he has sold eight retail properties in the Tampa Bay region. In January, Mallah acquired a distressed multifamily complex in Sneads, Florida, for $2.3M, signaling a renewed focus on affordable housing and value-add plays.
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The Buyers
A group of local private investors purchased the center, located at 1301–1551 Missouri Avenue North. Represented by Trifon Houvardas of Foresight Property Services, the buyers plan to hold the property as a stabilized, income-generating asset. They have no redevelopment plans for the site.
Deal Details
The shopping center sits on a 7.5-acre parcel and includes an outparcel leased to Imagine Orthodontics. Mallah acquired the property in two transactions in 2015 for a combined $9.3M. Ari Ravi and Nathan Timmons of RIPCO Real Estate Services brokered the $142 PSF sale on behalf of Ben Mallah.
Looking Ahead
Mallah’s latest move comes as stabilized retail assets remain in demand across the region, even as mixed-use redevelopment projects—like the reimagining of a shuttered Macy’s at WestShore Plaza—gain momentum. Known for his blunt persona and YouTube channel boasting over 1M subscribers, Mallah has signaled he’ll remain active in real estate across multiple asset classes, with growing attention on housing affordability.
Why It Matters
Mallah’s shift mirrors a broader trend among private investors recalibrating portfolios to capture growth in housing amid changing retail dynamics. With demand for value-add multifamily and affordable housing climbing, expect more investors to follow suit—especially in high-growth Florida markets.
