Costa Rica commercial centers take varying shapes and sizes.  Some are what comes to mind when the term strip mall is used.  Others take quite different shapes with mulitple floors, residential sections, and more.  New urbanism in Costa Rica now exists.

Some commercial centers are owned as a whole, and some are essentially condominiums.  It might be important to know if a landlord owns the whole complex or just one unit in a large complex. 

The term anchor is also important when it comes to commecial centers.  Some of the larger anchors in Costa Rica are grocery stores: Automercado, Megasuper, Perimercados, Mas Por Menos and Pali are some of the more common ones.  There are also super stores that carry groceries as well as household goods, etc.  These include Hipermas and Maxibodega.  Giant hardware stores such as EPA and Do It Center can also anchor commercial centers. 

Anchors are important because they get foot traffic into the commercial center due to the frequency with which people visit them.  Banks also help out their neighhors a great deal.

Parking can be an issue with commercial centers in Costa Rica.  It is important to know how much parking is available, if it is secure, and if there is street parking for excess vehicular traffic.

You might also be interested in Costa Rica Rentals in Malls or Rentals of Free Standing Buildings in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Commercial Rentals