Partnership approach puts retailers in the driving seat.

For Philip Perri, Brian Broker and their team in the retail division of Sutton & Edwards Inc. / TCN Worldwide, the job is more than just faxing lists of sites to clients.

The team, part of Long Island's largest commercial real estate services firm, instead has positioned itself as a partner to its clients, through its "Partners in Success" program, providing them with its extensive retail knowledge and expertise.

"We can do it all for them," said Phillip Perri, director of Corporate Retail Services at Sutton & Edwards Inc. / TCN. "We leverage our experience in order to supplement their in-house staff."

The Sutton & Edwards approach is customized for each client. Perri and his team research each client and its needs. "I know real estate, but I don't know their businesses," said Perri, who joined Sutton & Edwards in 2004 after 20 years in real estate development for various food service industry companies and other retailers, including eight years at New York Metro division of McDonald's Corp., one of the most profitable and diverse regions in the McDonald's system.

"We do a lot of strategic planning upfront," said Perri.

Sutton & Edwards partners with a retail client's internal real estate development department, helping to strategize market penetration, setting the market and trade areas and. following the process through the acquisition of properties and, if required, the construction of a building. This approach, unique in the brokerage community, effectively extends the reach of a client's in-house staff, allowing them to be more the manager of the process expands their territorial coverage capability and more effectively exploits the staff's company-specific brand and development knowledge. Sutton & Edwards also provides asset management and disposition.

The approach taken by Sutton & Edwards has become a necessity for the retail industry as retailers attempt to reduce costs by redeploying their real estate field staffs and expanding the territories of their regional executives, said Perri. "What we're trying to do is become an extension of the development staff of the retailer, maximizing resources, while minimizing costs" said Perri, who joined Sutton & Edwards two years ago. "However, to do this, they need someone out in the field who can deliver."

In addition to Sutton & Edward's traditional market of Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, the retail team also serves New York City's Outer Boroughs, Westchester County and Fairfield County, CT. Sutton & Edwards has additional capabilities across other markets through The Commercial Network.

Moreover, by working collegially with Sutton & Edwards' brokers who handle office and industrial properties as well as Sutton's property managers, the Sutton & Edwards retail team is part of a steady flow of ideas and information. "It's a wonderful synergy," said Boker, Sutton & Edwards Retail Department Director, who has 30 years of experience working in brokerage, major developers and Rite Aid Drug Stores.

In addition to Perri and Boker, the team includes Tess Marulis-Ballas, a Long Island retail specialist with 10 years experience, and Arnold Wideletz, an 18-year veteran of Manhattan-based Garrick-Aug Associate who covered Long Island. In addition, there are Neil Friedland and Michael Perri (no relation to Phillip Perri), two young guns who are being fast-tracked in Sutton & Edwards "Partners in Success" program.

Although in full operation for just a short time, Sutton & Edwards retail division has built up an enviable roster of clients that includes Walgreen's, the drug-store chain; Dunkin Donuts; Advance Auto Parts; McDonald's Corp., restaurant operator Brinker International; Angel's Franchising Inc., which franchises the Angel's Ice Cream chain; Chock full o'Nuts Coffee's Chock Cafe; Wing Zone restaurants, Camille's Sidewalk Cafe and Sally Beauty Supply.

Tenant representation, though, is only part of the equation. Sutton & Edwards also operates on behalf of landlords, offering not only brokerage but also property management. The firm also can assist landlords in boosting the cash flow of their shopping centers--and the value of their properties--by positioning or re-positioning assets through knowledgeable leasing, not only with the right tenants, but also the right mix of tenants.

"Very few companies are able to provide such total service," said Perri.