"Previously, it was difficult for a small successful company to find a quality smaller space. It's a similar phenomenon to office coworking - you give a smaller company with capital the opportunity to immediately operate in exclusive spaces. It's starting to become an interesting trend, not everyone can and does it, but skilled developers are able to get more money per square meter, and this concept is starting to gain importance," explains Petr Narwa, Head of Transaction & Consulting Services at Prochazka & Partners, who has in charge of industrial real estate.
Another advantage is that SBUs are often located in good locations. Developers build SBUs near major traffic routes and often near shopping centers, allowing tenants easy access to their products and services. In addition, being in a good location helps to improve the company's image and can lead to the acquisition of new customers. Most often, SBUs can be a warehouse, an e-shop outlet, or even a car showroom.
Hybrid spaces between retail and industrial
"It is a sort of hybrid between retail and industrial space, or a start-up warehouse for a company that has growth potential and will next rent a larger, high-quality warehouse. From the landlord's point of view, it is more work with less return, but the tenants we represent praise the service. In my opinion, this is an important step for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises that demand quality, a prestigious location and a good image," adds Narwa.
Historically, one of the first SBU units was opened in Ponávka or Borské Polý, now there are also smaller units available in, for example, Prague or its surroundings, e.g. Jenča. Another advantage of SBU is the possibility of ownership. The units are often not only rented, but also offered for purchase, which enables businesses to purchase their own quality space.
SBUs also often offer modern and high-quality equipment compared to older buildings. Developers are trying to equip SBU with modern technologies, which allows tenants to work more efficiently and reduce energy and operation costs. Quality SBU equipment also increases the comfort of tenants and helps maintain a good working environment.
