OUR

Company

RockStep Capital is a full service Real Estate investment firm that uses investor capital to acquire malls and shopping centers in secondary markets and smaller communities throughout the United States.
↓
 

ABOUT

RockStep

RockStep Capital is a privately held full service real estate investment firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, focused on the shopping center sector in secondary and tertiary markets.

We believe in small-town values, in building long-lasting partner relationships, and improving the communities in which we have an investment.

We target cash flowing investments to acquire and reposition, focusing on assets with minimal risk while providing solid, reliable returns to investors.

Since 1997, RockStep Capital has built or acquired over 8 million square feet of shopping centers in 11 states. RockStep Capital specifically targets markets that can weather the storm of an economic downturn.

Mission

RockStep

RockStep Capital’s mission is to grow and acquire strategically and organically, which means seeking out fortified communities that maintain highly desirable and quantitative amenities in our primary areas as well as secondary areas.

Using a comprehensive research criterion, we seek “Irreplaceable Drivers” of economic and demographic growth:

  • Division I, II and III Universities
  • Fortune 1000 Businesses
  • Top 250 Ranked hospitals networks
  • Strong Tourist Markets
  • Military Bases
  • Low or non-existent state income tax

Life

Quality of

Malls are critical to the quality of life of communities, and RockStep Capital’s mission is to keep traditional retail a vibrant and growing, but ever-changing real estate sector.

We are looking to boost the retail and entertainment industry through the innovative redevelopment of commercial real estate. While redefining a unique consumer experience with the ever-changing retail landscape, it is imperative that RockStep Capital continues to shift the paradigm and think- outside the box to meet the demands of today’s informed and sophisticated consumer.

RockStep Capital is determined to stay at the forefront of an increasing demand for unique customer experiences and desirable shopping environments adding new uses and amenities and reconfiguring them to align with today’s “live, work, play” lifestyle for mixed-use properties.

ROCKSTEP

Way

At RockStep Capital, we have been able to maximize our impact by assembling a team of extraordinary people working together in a high-performance culture. The 25 Rock Steps that follow describe the daily behaviors that define our culture. We call it: THE ROCKSTEP WAY.

Want more RockStep? If you are interested in the current week’s RockStep Way, written by the RockStep Capital’s very own team, please sign up below.

RECEIVE THE ROCKSTEP WAY

01

DO THE RIGHT THING, ALWAYS.

Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision, you make, especially when no one’s looking.  Always tell the truth, no matter the consequences.  If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right.  Be impeccable with your word.

02

PRACTICE A+NESS.

Demonstrate a passion for excellence and take pride in the quality of everything you do. Missing just one detail can have an enormous impact on a project or a report. Pay attention to the details and be a fanatic about accuracy and precision. Have a healthy disdain for mediocrity. Good is not good enough. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Operate superbly.

03

BE PUNCTUAL.

Be on time for all appointments, phone calls, and meetings. Five minutes early is on time, and on time is late. Treat deadlines as sacred promises. Pay bills, deliver reports, and meet obligations on time every time. Being punctual and meeting deadlines are powerful ways to demonstrate your trustworthiness

04

BE A FANATIC ABOUT RESPONSE TIME.

Respond to questions and concerns quickly, whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by e-mail. This includes simply acknowledging that we got the question and we’re “on it,” keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues and confirming when a task has been completed.

05

PRACTICE BLAMELESS PROBLEM SOLVING.

Demonstrate a relentless solution focus, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don’t make the same mistake twice. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.

06

BE PREPARED.

Do your homework before calls and meetings. Know what you can about others and issues that may be of concern to them so you can be in a position to be proactive. Anticipate scenarios before they arise and be ready to implement your action plans when needed. Preventing issues is always more effective than fixing them.

07

LISTEN GENEROUSLY.

Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Give others your undivided attention. Be present and engaged. Quiet the noise in your head and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Suspend your judgment and be curious to know more, rather than jumping to conclusions. Above all, listen to understand.

08

SPEAK STRAIGHT.

Speak honestly in a way that helps to make progress. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when it’s necessary for team success. Be courageous enough to say what needs to be said. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.

09

HONOR COMMITMENTS.

There’s no better way to earn people’s trust than to be true to your word. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others early and agree on a new deliverable to be honored.

10

BE RELENTLESS ABOUT IMPROVEMENT.

Continuously re- evaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Find ways to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently.

11

GET CLEAR ON EXPECTATIONS.

Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you’re not clear on what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates.

12

BE EASY TO WORK WITH.

Find ways to make working with you easier. Provide simple and complete instructions. When in doubt, do more rather than pushing the work back to them. Streamline our processes. Be ridiculously helpful.

13

“BRING IT” EVERY DAY.

Have a passion for what we do and be fully engaged. Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, and enthusiasm. Work with a sense of urgency to get things done.

14

BE TRANSPARENT.

With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely through-out our organization. Share the good and the bad. The more people know, the better we can collaborate. Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?”

15

INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS.

Everything we do is built on trust and trust is built on relationships. Make smart decisions that enhance long-term relationships. Show a deep appreciation even for those with whom we don’t do business. Strong relationships enable us to more successfully work through difficult issues and challenging times.

16

PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.

Respond to every situation by looking for solutions, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Gather the relevant facts, develop options, and recommend the best approach. Think things through. Be resourceful and show initiative by coming to the table with solutions.

17

BE OBSESSIVE ABOUT ORGANIZATION.

Be organized and plan your work for maximum efficiency. Use an effective task management system for prioritizing and tracking outstanding issues and responsibilities. Be thoughtful about your schedule, and have a game plan for your calls, your tasks, and your workday. Do the most important things first and quickly.

18

SHOW MEANINGFUL APPRECIATION.

Recognizing people doing things right is more effective than pointing out when they do things wrong. Regularly extend meaningful acknowledgment and appreciation — in all directions throughout our organization.

19

BE A BRAND AMBASSADOR.

We’re all responsible for, and benefit from, the RockStep image and reputation. Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation and represent RockStep with distinction in all your dealings.

20

BE POSITIVE.

You have the power to choose your attitude. Choose to be optimistic and see the possibilities. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Optimism creates energy and energy creates success.

21

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR APPEARANCE.

Dressing professionally and keeping your work area clean and orderly shapes others’ perception of you and your orientation to quality work. Pay attention to the image you present because you’ll never have a second chance to make a first impression.

22

DON’T BE A JERK.

Be a professional at all times and keep your emotions under control. Advocating forcefully on behalf of our clients doesn’t require manipulation, condescension, foul language, or temper tantrums. This applies to investors, tenants, co-workers, subs, suppliers, and vendors.

23

BE A CAREFUL STEWARD OF OUR ASSETS.

Protect the investor. Learn to ask yourself, “Would I spend this if it were my own money? Do we really need this? Is there a more cost-efficient way to accomplish the job?”

24

KEEP FAMILY FIRST.

Take care of your family and your health. As crazy as work can become, never lose sight of family as a priority. The healthier we are, the happier and more productive we become as well.

25

KEEP THINGS FUN.

While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Laugh every day.

OUR

Team

RockStep Capital’s senior management team brings an average 25 years of experience to the retail and shopping center sector. Click any of the photos to learn more about the RockStep team.

Andy Weiner

President

Tommy Stewart

Chief Operating Officer

Beth Isaacson-Hoeft

Director of Acquisitions

Robin Varner

Director of Accounting

Gary Cavey

Director Construction

Racine Leahy

Director of Mall Leasing

Dan McKinney

Director of Leasing

Jody Vest

Director of Mall Management

Neal Maranuk

Acquisition Manager

Debbie Tucker

Lease Administrator

rockstep

History

Long before the doors at RockStep opened, its story was being shaped by the world of retail. RockStep founder and CEO Andy Weiner grew up surrounded by the joys and nuances of retail. His grandfather launched his own value-price family clothing store, where Andy worked from a young age and helped grow the business to 159 stores.

Ultimately, this retail path led Andy to launch RockStep in 1997, focusing on the investment, development, management, and leasing of shopping centers. Having evolved the portfolio, RockStep grew its offering and shifted its focus to include the acquisition and transformation of regional malls and community shopping centers.

Drawing from an authentic heritage and a retailer’s perspective, RockStep has the expertise and desire create modern, community centric destinations for the next generation.

The word Rock Step refers to a dance move. In couples dancing such as swing and ballroom dancing, the Rock Step is when a dancer switches direction:

one, two, three—one, two, three—Rock–Step

At RockStep we design our company to be nimble and switch directions as the music in the industry is changing at a rapid pace.

1926

Isadore Weiner – RockStep’s father Andy Weiner’s grandfather opens Weiner’s store, a valued price valued clothing retailer near downtown Houston, Texas

1970 – 1974

Isadore Weiner – RockStep’s father Andy Weiner’s grandfather opens Weiner’s store, a valued price valued clothing retailer near downtown Houston, Texas

1980’s

Andy joins Weiner’s full time to eventually manage all the stores, real estate, HR, IT, finance and distribution.

1990’s

Weiner’s Stores peaks at 159 stores

1997

RockStep Capital opens its corporate doors in Houston, TX

2000-2004

RockStep opens its first power center, a 475,000 square foot Walmart anchored center in Spring Texas, follow by an additional 3 centers totaling over 1 million square feet

2006-2008

RockStep commences it small town acquisition strategy with shopping centers in Texas, Arizona and Louisiana

2009 – 2015

RockStep commences HEB project in College Station and acquires 5 Malls fulfilling Andy’s vision of bringing the retail and shopping center experience to the enclosed mall sector

2016 – 2020

Andy adds 10 shopping centers to the portfolio including 6 malls with a presence in 11 states and 8 Million Square feet acquired or developed

THE ROCKSTEP WAY

Receive the weekly RockStep Way in your inbox

Thank you for your interest.