Purity Water has signed five new franchise locations in northern and central New Jersey. — Courtesy: JLL
By Joshua Burd
Purity Water, a growing wellness concept, has added five new storefronts in New Jersey as part of a franchise expansion guided by JLL’s leasing team in the region.
According to a news release, the four-year-old business is focused on high-traffic, grocery-anchored shopping centers as it looks to make high-quality purified and alkaline water more accessible while reducing reliance on single-use plastic bottles. That hinges on a concept that combines advanced purification technology with a neighborhood retail model, one that’s now in franchise mode after being founded in Rockaway by Christi Tomimbang and Peter Pena.
JLL Managing Director David Townes and Vice President Alana Friedman are supporting the founders in the expansion and represented the operator in its five new leases, which include:
2,000 square feet at 375-417 Route 17 South in Hackensack, with Jacob Bijou of Catalyst Real Estate Partners representing ownership at the former Pathmark center
- 1,267 square feet at Essex Green Shopping Center at 495 Prospect Ave. in West Orange, where Amy Staats of Katz & Associates represented the landlord
- 1,000 square feet at The Hills Village at 550 Hills Drive in Bedminster, where JLL also represented landlord Longpoint Partners
- 1,200 square feet at Berkeley Heights Shopping Center at 404 Springfield Ave. in Berkeley Heights, where the landlord was represented by Chris Conway of Atlantic Coastal Real Estate
- 1,003 square feet at Middletown Plaza at 1425 Route 35 in Middletown, in a transaction completed directly with Rob McGarrigle of Brixmor Property Group
“Purity Water has created a concept that feels incredibly timely in today’s retail environment,” Townes said. “Consumers are increasingly focused on health and convenience, and it delivers both in an approachable neighborhood retail format. From the beginning, the brand had a clear vision for expansion, and we’re proud to help bring that vision to life across New Jersey.”
JLL noted that, in its recent Global Consumer Experience report, the firm found that today’s consumers increasingly favor convenient, wellness-oriented retail experiences and are seeking destinations that combine lifestyle, health and everyday accessibility, trends that are driving demand for retail space in grocery-anchored shopping centers across the U.S.
“Successful franchise growth is all about selecting the right real estate in the right communities,” Friedman said. “These new franchise locations give Purity Water strong daily traffic, excellent co-tenancy and visibility within established shopping destinations. The momentum behind the brand has been exciting to watch.”
Tomimbang, the co-founder, noted that the company’s goal “has always been to make premium purified and alkaline water more accessible to everyday consumers.
“As we continue expanding, finding highly visible retail locations in strong community shopping centers is critical to our success, and JLL has been an invaluable partner in helping us strategically grow the brand and establish a larger footprint throughout New Jersey.”
Pena added: “We are looking forward to continuing to build momentum in the market and excited to share our proven model with entrepreneurs who want to build businesses that are profitable, impactful and deeply aligned with the values of health and sustainability.”
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