Nearly 74,000 square feet of positive net absorption occurred in the Des Moines area’s retail market in the second quarter, a new report from CBRE Inc. shows. Nearly 70% of the positive absorption occurred in the western suburbs, the report said. Overall, the year-over-year vacancy rate dropped to 4.1% from 5.2%. The vacancy rate in the western suburbs is 3.8%, the lowest in the metro area. South Des Moines has the highest vacancy rate at 10.4%. The Des Moines area has nearly 14 million square feet of retail space. Just over 205,000 square feet of retail space is under construction. “The outlook for the Central Iowa retail marketplaces continues to be characterized by low vacancy, stable to increasing rents in premium retail corridors, positive absorption, and limited new construction,” the report said. The report predicted continuing turnover in the restaurant sector because of the unavailability of labor. “Those establishments that are not able to provide a high-quality dining experience will struggle and result in backfill opportunities for growing restaurant chains and entrepreneurs,” the report said. To read the retail market report, click here.