Sam Martorella, 31

Long Island native Sam Martorella has had one foot in the real estate business since his years interning at firms such as GFI Capital and Eastern Consolidated while attending the University of Michigan.

Now with seven years under his belt at Ripco Real Estate, Martorella has been working on deals that have expanded or maintained the footprint of major retailers in Manhattan.

Martorella’s first real job in commercial real estate was as an associate at food and beverage brokerage Hospitality House, where he gained an appreciation for curating visitor, resident and worker experiences. That turned out to be an integral part of his journey in the industry.

“We got into doing the food and beverage for [office and residential developments], which gave me a lot of exposure to the retail market,” Martorella said. “I felt that as much as I loved the hospitality industry — and I still do a lot of food and beverage work, having a lot of exposure to these landlords — I wanted to really broaden my horizons and the ability to draw the big box, fashion and all these other kinds of uses.”

Martorella has worked on deals such as representing Edward J. Minskoff Equities at 270 Greenwich Street in its deal with Hobby Lobby when the retailer opened its first Manhattan store in 2024; Petco in its 10-year renewal of its 15,000-square-foot location at 2475 Broadway in January 2026; and fast-casual chicken chain Zaxby’s in its first New York City location at 1267 First Avenue this past February.

“I like to treat every client the same, whether they’re a Fortune 500 company or a new concept that has one location,” Martorella said. “That’s just being honest, truthful and understanding what the client’s needs are and how to help them navigate this very competitive retail landscape in Manhattan.”