THE LANDLORD

Martier, Love Shack, Sazio, Caffe Martier, BCBG, Law Office Lee Cohen, Pop Bar, Woo Creative, Mosa Interiors, D’Or 24k Cosmetics and Tommy Bahamas (coming Spring 2017) are all his properties on Atlantic Ave.

I met Babak Ebrahimzadeh (Bobby) at Caffe Martier at his high-end fashion store, Martier, which is attached to the restaurant. Caffe Martier.

Bobby is always busy, with a blue tooth in his ear, walking around talking to people. Although he communicates constantly, he is actually a man of few words with a very serious face.

We ate lunch a few times together, and there was always a mystery behind him. He came up to me one day and told me “I want to do something for my tenants. I want the businesses that rent my space to thrive and succeed. I want them to have more people coming in. I want them to make more money”! ... It made me proud to know that someone who practically owns half of the Avenue, cares so much about local businesses and wants those businesses to succeed. Especially considering that Delray Beach is not his home – New York is.

Babak Ebrahimzadeh, an innovative and successful member of both the women’s fashion industry and the real estate industry for over twenty years, has served as a major driving force in the transformation of the already thriving Delray Beach area. In just a few short years, Babak has accumulated the properties known as 131-137 E. Atlantic Avenue and 411 E. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. These include: BCBG MAZAZRIA, Pop Bar, Caffe Martier, Martier, D’Or 24k Cosmetics, Law Office Lee Cohen, Mosa Interiors, Sazio, Woo Creative, Love Shack and Tommy Bahama (coming spring 2017).

“My vision is to stabilize the Ave (Atlantic Ave) by giving room for both mom and pop shops, as well as National brands. When renting out the space I try to give equal opportunity to both – half and half”.

Regarding the challenge between maintaining the feeling of old Delray with local stores, and bringing in national brands he says “The national brands help bring people and traffic, and use advertising money that in essence supports the local stores’ brands”. He supports local stores by investing in their interior and exterior buildout and design so they can look and feel like a national brand and have that appeal. “We have to balance it so we have a secure avenue for the next 20 years. And by secure I mean no vacancies. Some things we have no control over, like raising rent costs. It goes hand in hand with raising taxes and insurance costs”.

Bobby started in the fashion industry with a clothing store at the age of 16. He soon expanded into lingerie, spa and food, operating it all in one open space. His real estate business grew to become his main focus, while understanding the growing pains of the fashion, retail and restaurant businesses. Motivated by the motto “never quit your day job” he kept two of his properties to himself – the high end fashion stores Martier in both Boca Raton and Delray Beach.

The structure of the building on Atlantic Ave that opens up Martier, the fashion store, into access to Caffe Martier, as well as his other renters on the block, allow for a shopping flow between all the businesses. “I strategically rent spaces to allow for cross marketing, cross promotion and a flow of consumerism, so everyone can support each other to keep the building active”.

He walked with me down the Ave, store by store to every one of his locations, and introduced me to the owners. He asked how can we help them drive more people into the stores. He offered to pay for promotions and donate some of the profits to charity, specifically wanting a local charity that focuses on families of veterans and local heroes. .

Babak opened Martier in 2004, a high-end women’s clothing boutique, and continues to manage the flourishing business, along with its sister store in Boca Raton. He has since attained the property known as the Post Office Arcade in downtown Stuart, Florida, and is working with existing and incoming tenants to renovate the property, increase business, and open a new high-end restaurant on the premises.

Renovations are simultaneously being completed at both the 131-137 and 411 E. Atlantic Avenue buildings to welcome incoming businesses such as D’Or 24k Cosmetics and Tommy Bahama, both of which are expected to be positive and refreshing additions to the area. Babak has utilized his business savvy, creativity, and interpersonal skills to successfully manage the properties, with a focus on increasing the existing businesses’ profits, creating jobs, and adding to the culture of the area. “Tommy Bahama is going to be great for the area!” he proudly says.

“I had many failures in life. I learned to never look back. I started with nothing. If I did it once, I can do it again. You can’t let stress take you down”. Bobby has been married for 17 years, and has two children 14 & 10. He met his wife when “she came into my store, shopping for a husband”.

This month Bobby is hosting special promotions in some of his locations, so feel free to walk in and see what’s in store for you!

The Landlord’s Participating Locations:

BCBG 411 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

POP BAR 411 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

CAFFE MARTIER 411 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

D’OR 24K COSMETICS 411 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

MARTIER 411 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

SAZIO 131 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

LOVE SHACK 137 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE

TOMMY BAHAMA (COMING SPRING 2017) 133 EAST ATLANTIC AVENUE