Market Guide
Santa Monica Retail Space Guide
A customer-facing market for restaurants, services, wellness, and neighborhood retail.
Santa Monica, CA
Q1 2026
Retail Space
Quick Facts
Santa Monica market quick facts
City
Santa Monica
CA
County
Los Angeles County
Regional market context
Population
91,169
City population context
Buildings
21
Example buildings in Rofo data
Common Space Types
3
Office Space, Retail Space, Coworking Space
Nearby Markets
8
Playa Vista, Culver City, Beverly Hills
Market Overview
Commercial real estate in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, CA is a local commercial real estate market in Los Angeles County where businesses can compare space needs by location, property type, and fit. Common space types include office space, retail space, coworking space. Rofo currently includes 21 example buildings for this market. Nearby markets such as Playa Vista, Culver City, Beverly Hills can also be useful to compare.
Market Snapshot
Santa Monica retail space market snapshot
Average Rent
Varies by corridor; visibility, parking, and customer base are major pricing factors
Rent context based on Los Angeles and Westside market reporting for Q1 2026.
Market Date
Q1 2026
Snapshot for current market context
Current Trends
What tenants are seeing now
- Retail performance can vary significantly by corridor, block, visibility, and customer base.
- Restaurants, wellness, service, and daily-needs concepts continue to drive many local searches.
- Parking, signage, co-tenancy, and permitted use can change the fit of an otherwise strong location.
- Tenants should compare trade areas rather than relying on a single citywide rent benchmark.
Space Types
Commercial space types in Santa Monica
Office Space in Santa Monica
Office space can work for professional services, client-facing teams, administrative users, and companies that need private workspace.
View office space in Santa Monica Read the office space guideRetail Space in Santa Monica
Retail space can work for storefronts, restaurants, service businesses, wellness operators, and customer-facing brands.
View retail space in Santa MonicaCoworking Space in Santa Monica
Coworking space can work for flexible teams, remote workers, startups, and businesses that want shorter-term workspace options.
View coworking space in Santa MonicaBest Fit
Who this market is best for
- Restaurants, wellness, service, and daily-needs retailers
- Customer-facing brands comparing corridor visibility and customer base
- Operators that need to balance rent, parking, and permitted use
Neighborhood Breakdown
Where to compare retail space options
Downtown Santa Monica
A primary retail area for restaurants, services, and customer-facing businesses.
Montana Avenue
A useful corridor to compare visibility, customer base, and local trade-area fit.
Main Street
A useful corridor to compare visibility, customer base, and local trade-area fit.
Ocean Park
A useful corridor to compare visibility, customer base, and local trade-area fit.
Neighborhood Strategy
How to compare areas in Santa Monica
High-visibility concepts
Consider: Downtown Santa Monica, Montana Avenue
Good for brands that depend on storefront presence, foot traffic, or strong local identity.
Neighborhood-serving users
Consider: Montana Avenue, Main Street
Useful for food, wellness, service, and repeat-customer concepts.
Cost-conscious retailers
Consider: Main Street, Ocean Park
Worth comparing when parking, total occupancy cost, and local trade area matter most.
Nearby Markets
Nearby retail space markets to consider
Compare nearby retail markets if you are flexible on location, commute, pricing, or building type.
Culver City, CA
Read the Culver City guideEl Segundo, CA
Read the El Segundo guideNearby City Pages
Compare nearby commercial real estate markets
Nearby markets can be useful if you are flexible on location, commute, space type, or building fit.
Playa Vista, CA
Explore Playa Vista commercial real estateCulver City, CA
Explore Culver City commercial real estateBeverly Hills, CA
Explore Beverly Hills commercial real estateWest Hollywood, CA
Explore West Hollywood commercial real estateEl Segundo, CA
Explore El Segundo commercial real estateManhattan Beach, CA
Explore Manhattan Beach commercial real estateExample Buildings
Example buildings in Santa Monica
Space Planning
What size retail space do you need?
Most businesses start by estimating team size, operational needs, customer access, storage needs, and future growth. If you are unsure, compare a few size ranges before narrowing the search.
- Under 1,000 sqft can work for smaller teams, service businesses, or focused local operations.
- 1,000-5,000 sqft often fits growing businesses that need a practical mix of work, customer, or support areas.
- 5,000+ sqft is usually evaluated around layout, operational flow, and future expansion needs.
Leasing Tips
How to approach the search
- Confirm use restrictions, signage, utilities, and buildout requirements early.
- Compare customer base and parking before focusing on rent alone.
- Visit the corridor at different times to understand customer patterns.
Next Steps
Compare retail space in Santa Monica
Use Rofo to compare current retail space options in Santa Monica or step back to the broader city market.
GET HELP
Tell us what you need
Help us understand your space, timing, and priorities—we’ll point you in the right direction.
Type of space
Office, retail, industrial, flex, or coworking
Size or team
A rough range or headcount is enough
Location
Your target area or nearby options
Timeline
Now, soon, or just exploring
GET HELP
Find the right space for your business
Tell us what you need — we’ll follow up with a few spaces that fit.
FAQ
Santa Monica commercial real estate FAQ
How do I find commercial space in Santa Monica?
Start by defining the type of space, approximate size, preferred location, and timing. Rofo can help compare available options in Santa Monica and nearby markets.
What types of commercial space are available in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica has guide or inventory coverage for office space, retail space, coworking space. Availability varies by property and timing.
Can Rofo help me compare nearby markets?
Yes. Rofo can help compare Santa Monica with nearby markets such as Playa Vista, Culver City, Beverly Hills.
How does Rofo connect me with local options?
Share what kind of space you need, your target market, and approximate size. Rofo reviews the request and helps identify relevant next steps.
Sources