Shop-in-Shop & Concession Permitting

Shop-in-shop permitting covers the construction of one brand’s retail experience inside another brand’s existing store — such as Sephora beauty departments inside Kohl’s locations. It differs from standard retail TI because it requires dual-brand coordination: the host store has construction schedule constraints and design standards that must be respected, while the incoming brand has its own design requirements. The local building department adds a third layer of requirements. Managing this three-way coordination across 108 locations and 16 states requires deep experience with both multi-stakeholder projects and national-scale permitting programs.

We serve as the central point of coordination for all permit-related activities. When the building department issues plan review comments, we assess which comments affect the host brand’s space versus the incoming brand’s space and route each item to the appropriate design team. When code requirements conflict with brand standards — for example, if a jurisdiction requires a fire separation that would disrupt Sephora’s display layout — we work with both design teams and the plan reviewer to find a solution that satisfies all parties. This eliminates the back-and-forth that typically adds weeks to shop-in-shop projects.

Yes. The dual-approval process is the same regardless of the brands involved. We have experience with various concession and shop-in-shop formats. Any project where one brand builds inside another brand’s existing space — whether it is a beauty department, a food service concept, a fitness studio, or a technology kiosk — requires the same three-way coordination. Our 108-location track record with Sephora-inside-Kohl’s demonstrates that we can manage this at national scale.

Shop-in-shop permitting fees are typically higher than standard retail TI due to the dual-coordination complexity. Fees depend on jurisdiction, scope of modifications, and whether the project requires separate electrical, plumbing, or fire permits. PermitPlace uses per-project pricing — there is no subscription or monthly fee. You pay only for locations that are actively in the permitting process. Request a quote →

This is the core challenge that requires human expertise, not software. When a jurisdiction requires something that conflicts with either brand’s standards — say, a fire-rated separation that disrupts the display layout, or an ADA path that conflicts with fixture placement — we negotiate a solution with all three parties. We present alternatives to the plan reviewer, get brand approval on modifications, and resubmit. Our 20 years of jurisdiction relationships mean we know which reviewers are flexible on implementation details and which require strict compliance.