About Mike Reyes
Commercial real estate, mostly from the tenant's side of the table.
I write Storefront Notes because most commercial real estate content is aimed at landlords and investors, not the person renovating a former nail salon and wondering if their landlord's TI allowance number is fair. I spent years on the leasing and buildout side, watched a lot of budgets meet reality, and eventually just started writing down what I kept telling people anyway.
Two things I believe pretty strongly: most first-time tenants don't get burned because landlords are villains — they get burned because nobody handed them a checklist. And TI negotiations go sideways more often because the tenant showed up without their own cost number, not because the landlord was being stingy.
What this is (and isn't)
This is one guy's running notes on leasing, buildouts, permitting, and the general chaos of opening a storefront — written the way I'd actually say it, not the way a brokerage blog would. I back numbers with real sources and link them so you can check my work. It's not legal advice and not a substitute for your own broker, attorney, or accountant — lease terms and permitting rules vary by city, so treat this as a starting point, not a final answer.
Why I link certain tools
Every so often an article links to a specific calculator or tool — like BuildoutIQ for a rough buildout cost number. Same rule as linking the SBA or ADA.gov: it's relevant to what I'm writing about, not a paid placement.
Get in touch
Spot something wrong or out of date? I'd like to know — check the Resources page for how to reach me.