Gurnee, Illinois Commercial Real Estate
Buying, selling, or leasing commercial property in Gurnee? Jason Bitton is the #1 RE/MAX Commercial broker in Illinois — based in Libertyville, about 15 minutes away — working Gurnee’s retail, industrial, and investment market firsthand, from the Grand Avenue (Route 132) and I-94 corridor anchored by Gurnee Mills to the village’s industrial parks.
The Gurnee Commercial Market
Gurnee is one of northern Lake County’s premier retail and entertainment destinations, built around the Grand Avenue (Route 132) and I-94 interchange. Anchored by Gurnee Mills, Six Flags Great America, and Great Wolf Lodge, the village draws a regional trade area far larger than its population — supporting big-box retail, hospitality, restaurants, and the distribution and light-industrial uses that thrive on I-94 access.
Market Highlights
- ✓ Grand Avenue (Route 132) at the I-94 interchange
- ✓ Gurnee Mills — one of Illinois’ largest outlet malls
- ✓ Six Flags Great America & Great Wolf Lodge tourism draw
- ✓ Regional trade area far exceeding local population
- ✓ Strong I-94 logistics access for industrial/distribution
- ✓ East Grand Gateway commercial corridor
Retail
Regional and big-box retail, pad sites, restaurants, and strip centers along Grand Avenue.
Industrial & Flex
Warehouse, distribution, and light-manufacturing space with direct I-94 access.
Office
Professional and medical office serving the northern Lake County market.
Investment Sales
Net-leased retail, hospitality-adjacent assets, and value-add centers in a high-traffic market.
Who Actually Works in Gurnee
Gurnee holds 20,445 jobs inside village limits. That is the daytime population a commercial tenant actually draws from — a different, and for commercial purposes more useful, number than the residential count most listings quote.
The village itself counts 30,510 residents in 11,779 households, with a median household income of $119,628 (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, LEHD LODES8 2023 (workplace area characteristics). Figures count jobs located in Gurnee, not residents. Updated annually.
What Can You Open in Gurnee?
Gurnee organizes commercial property into a graduated set of C-series districts plus office (O-1/O-2) and industrial (I-1/I-2/I-3) districts. Matching your use to the right district — before you sign an LOI — is the difference between opening on schedule and stalling at the permit counter. Here is how the common uses generally map.
C-1 Neighborhood Commercial covers smaller neighborhood-serving shops; C-2 Community Commercial is the broad workhorse for general retail, restaurants, and personal/medical services; and C-6 Regional Commercial handles large-format regional retail — the Gurnee Mills and I-94 big-box category.
C-3 Heavy Commercial covers auto-oriented uses (dealerships, repair, car wash), while O-1 and O-2 cover professional offices, financial institutions, medical and dental clinics, and R&D uses.
I-1 Restricted, I-2 General, and I-3 Intensive Industrial cover warehouse, distribution, wholesale, and manufacturing uses — scaling up with intensity along the I-94 logistics corridor.
Confirm any specific address against the village code before signing — or use the Commercial Zoning Lookup and tell Jason what you’re trying to open.
Why Work With Jason in Gurnee?
Gurnee’s regional-draw retail and I-94 industrial base reward a broker who understands both sides of the market. Jason identifies the properties with the most upside and connects sellers with buyers who see the same opportunity — with a senior broker, not a junior associate, on every deal.
Maximum Exposure
Every Gurnee listing syndicated across CoStar, LoopNet, Crexi Pro, MLS, and our investor network simultaneously.
Local Market Knowledge
Deep understanding of Gurnee zoning, the Grand Avenue / I-94 retail corridor, traffic patterns, and tenant demand — backed by data.
Full-Service Execution
From valuation through close — coordinating attorneys, lenders, inspectors, and municipal officials for a seamless deal.
Established — With Global Reach
Over a decade of Lake County and Chicagoland commercial transactions, backed by the RE/MAX brand’s international referral and buyer network.
Sold & Leased in Gurnee
Gurnee commercial work Jason has closed. Tenant to verify.
Jason represented Haraz Coffee House — a fast-growing national coffee franchise — in its Gurnee site search, landing a high-visibility Grand Avenue (Route 132) location in the Gurnee Mills retail corridor. Getting it open took more than a lease draft: Jason worked directly with the Village of Gurnee to resolve parking requirements and get the use approved for the site, then negotiated a 5-year lease at $26/SF NNN for the tenant.
| Address | Type | Outcome | Price / Rate | Represented | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5572 Grand Ave (Haraz Coffee House) | Retail / Coffee-QSR | Leased | $26/SF NNN | Tenant | 5-Yr |
Nearby Markets
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Gurnee Commercial Real Estate FAQ
Who is the best commercial real estate broker in Gurnee?+
What zoning do I need to open a retail or restaurant business in Gurnee?+
What are the main commercial corridors in Gurnee?+
Can Jason help with industrial or warehouse space in Gurnee?+
Thinking About Selling in Gurnee?
Start with a confidential, off-market opinion of value from the broker who works the Grand Avenue / I-94 corridor directly — and who negotiated the Haraz Coffee House lease in the Gurnee Mills trade area. No sign in the window — a private read on value and current buyer demand, then you decide.
Buying or leasing instead? Same door: Get Started or call.