Founded in 1996, H. Blount Hunter Retail & Real Estate Research Company is an independent advisory firm to developers, municipalities, and non-profit agencies including redevelopment authorities and business improvement districts. H. Blount Hunter has conducted consumer research and retail real estate studies in virtually all of the Top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas as well as smaller markets in more than 40 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

H. Blount Hunter is a 1977 honors graduate of the University of Virginia with concentrations in economics and sociology. His experience in retail-related consumer research and retail site analysis spans 25 years:

From 1977 until 1980, Hunter was the Research Analyst in the Sales Development Department of The Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Virginia, where he analyzed the results of the annual Hampton Roads Opinion Survey of more than 2,000 consumer households. He used the data from this internally-conducted study of consumer shopping and media habits to formulate media buys and recommend store location strategies for retailers in the Norfolk metropolitan area.

From 1980 until early 1984, Hunter was the Director of Research and Communications for Goodman Segar Hogan, Inc., one of the Mid-Atlantic's largest regional developers and institutional management firms. Hunter established the Tidewater Office Market Survey of supply/demand conditions while performing retail site analyses for strip centers and regional malls.

From early 1984 until early 1996, Hunter was Senior Research Analyst at The Rouse Company where he lead research efforts related to urban retail and suburban shopping center development feasibility, merchandising/leasing, marketing, and operations trouble-shooting. Hunter earned national recognition for his expertise in urban retailing, food courts, and tourism-related retailing. He conducted more than 50 investment analyses for The Rouse Company's Acquisitions/Management Program and completed retail studies in virtually all major metropolitan markets in the United States. Hunter's innovative application of research methodologies included serial intercepts in highly seasonal centers; Awareness-Trial-Usage surveys before and after project openings; national research with the U.S. Travel Data Center to measure tourist usage of urban festival marketplaces; tourism impact research; and Advertising Effectiveness Tracking studies.

From January through July of 1996, Hunter served as Manager of Strategic Planning for the City of Norfolk. In his role as advisor to the City Manager, he participated in the advancement of MacArthur Center (a 1 million square foot Nordstrom-anchored center in Downtown Norfolk) and impact analysis of non-taxable land within the city.