Hunter Cannon

A restaurant + hospitality-focused real estate broker and business intermediary, specializing in Retail Lease & Sale transactions. Hunter draws on his market knowledge, and more than 17 years of experience as owner-operator of multiple hospitality focused businesses. He’s had extensive exposure to every aspect of a restaurant, bar and nightclub’s development, and has acquired a broad understanding of business practices and a nuanced grasp of what drives the restaurant industry’s major participants.

His strengths stem from his creativity and a wealth of enterprise development & management expertise. As a broker and operator, he has demonstrated exceptional negotiation skills and proficiencies in financial analysis, investment strategy, capital stack structures, acquisitions and divestitures, asset sale and procurement, liquor and amusement licensing, zoning, permitting, and business valuations. He has frequently interfaced with area aldermen, community leaders, neighborhood organizations, and city/state licensing officials. And has partnered extensively with brokers, engineers, architects, attorneys, and contractors. In addition, he has liaised with the building department to secure permits, acquisition space, and expedite construction.

Before launching his career in commercial real estate, Hunter was a full member of the CBOT and had a career as a statistical arbitrage trader for the Wagner, Stott, Bear Specialists division of Bear Stearns. At the same time, he owned, developed and sold venues like Hye Bar, Faith & Whiskey, Tattoo, Bon V, and The Arrogant Frog. As well as marketing/management companies Ballingarry Mgmt. And Zook Chicago.

Having navigated numerous market highs and lows from the 1990s through 2014, he has a unique perspective and a clear understanding of what’s at stake for deal participants. As both a Licensed Commercial Realtor and Registered Business Broker, Hunter actively seeks out opportunities for his clients and utilizes his relevant experience to help create sound strategies for marketing properties, while cultivating a network of buyers.

Hunter is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries (MBBI), and the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA).