Curious Retail
Created by Richard Wassell and Matthew Weiner to acquire a portfolio of retail and leisure assets. Lot sizes from £0.5m to £4m, but larger investments will be considered. Asset clusters are preferred to make it easier for our active asset management approach.
Strong Market Knowledge
We have a detailed understanding of our preferred locations, having done deals in them over the last 35 years.
Symbiotic Relationships
Our target occupiers are predominantly privately owned but successful businesses. We take a more symbiotic approach to our dealings with our tenants. It is a joint endeavour.
Based on our market knowledge we want to invest in affluent London neighbourhoods, vibrant market towns with educational excellence and coastal locations with a staycation focus.
Curious Retail offer a cash incentive to any local agent who identifies an off-market asset that we decide to buy – £10,000 up to a £1m lot size, £15,000 above this level, in addition to standard agency fees.
We have a tenant friendly leasing structure, to address seasonality and other issues.
Matthew Weiner
Founder and CEO
Matthew@curiousrealestate.co.uk
07714 854 836
Matthew recently left his position as CEO at U+I Group Plc (formerly Development Securities Plc), a regeneration developer and investor with a >£11 billion portfolio of projects in the London City Region, Manchester and Dublin.
Matthew had been CEO since July 2015 to January 2021 after having held the position of Investor Director at Development Securities Plc since 1999 where he spearheaded the acquisition activities with a GDV of well over £3 billion and with overall responsibility for both the circa £225m investment portfolio and its joint venture and trading business.
Matthew began his career as a Fund Manager, working at both Legal & General and AXA Investment Management with a focus on property fund management.
Putting his expertise in property to rewarding use outside of work, Matthew is a board member of Jewish Care, the UK’s largest Jewish Charity. Matthew led the £50m development of the charity’s newest, state of the art care facility, Sandringham in Stanmore.
Richard Wassell
Founder and Investment Director
richard.wassell@twentyretail.com
07971 556 041
Richard has been involved in commercial property for over 35 years.
He established Carter Wassell in 1990, which was then developed into a team of 35 people over 15 years as CWM.
In 2005 Richard formed twentyretail, to provide bespoke advice to retail and restaurant brands and to a range of landlords, from private individuals through to quoted property companies.
twentyretail was selected as the Estates Gazette “National Retail and Leisure Adviser” in 2008, from an original shortlist of 25 companies.
The business was then awarded the same ‘best in the UK’ title in 2010.
twentyretail was awarded a specific “Highly Commended” by the panel of 50 leading lights in the property industry in 2014.
twentyretail were then selected as the “National Retail and Leisure Adviser of the Year” for the third time in 2015.
Richard has a broad range of experience across the retail and restaurant sectors. He has set up over a dozen businesses.
He was one of the original 4 Board Members that established The People’s Supermarket on Lambs Conduit Street. This was to establish an alternative to the Big 6 supermarkets and to provide people who had struggled with drugs and prison, the chance to secure employment.
Richard was one of the first Chairman of the Shop Agents Society. He is the current Chairman of the Restaurant Property Advisors Society. These roles have contributed to his excellent contacts and respect amongst property owners and occupiers.