The Pop-Up Shop Phenomenon

One side effect of our lagging economy is the empty storefront. Many savvy retailers have dared to think outside the box and find ways to use these spaces to their advantage. What are some advantages you ask? An empty store front can be used temporarily to try out a new retail concept or a new merchandise mix that might not fit in with what you're already doing. It might be a place to have a blow-out sale or a sample sale. A few small companies manufacturing handmade goods might join together to lease a space as a temporary showcase. Or a larger manufacturer might create a buzz around the launch of a new product by previewing it at a pop-up shop.

Many landlords are willing to lease out vacant space on a short term basis because it looks better for them to have tenants, even temporary ones. In the Detroit area Oakland Mall started offering special short-term leasing rates to small start-up businesses. The lower rates allow entrepreneurs to test out new ideas or promote seasonal products without committing to long-term leases.

Target was able to use the space vacated by a museum on Chicago's tony Michigan Avenue to have a temporary downtown location where high rent has prohibited the company from opening a permanent store. The pop-up shop, called "Bullseye Bazaar", lasted for one weekend and had an outdoor market theme (even though it was inside). Simple visuals were used to cheaply and effectively merchandise the space. For example, buckets of fresh produce with handwritten signs and inexpensive pots of mums were dispersed throughout the "shop".

The temporary nature of the pop-up store creates a nice "buzz". Shoppers want to check out the shop before it no longer exists. Target's Bullseye Bazaar maximized the appeal to this curious customer by previewing new merchandise not yet available in their stores. They also showcased products that are normally only available online. Makeup artists were on hand doing makeovers and computer stations were set up to help customers looking for items not available in the pop-up shop.

ARE THERE VACANT RETAIL SPACES NEAR YOU? HOW WOULD YOU USE THEM? IS THERE AN EVENT OR IDEA YOU WOULD LIKE TO TEST OUT? HOW CAN YOU CREATE A BUZZ USING A TEMPORARY SPACE?

Other Great Pop-up Shop Ideas:

• A Mother's Day Pop-up Shop in Brooklyn called Thanks, Mom, via PSFK
• Save Fashion, a pop-up shop in the NYC Port Authority - a fun sample sale environment meant to support independent designers and re-coup lost sales from last year's 4th quarter, via PSFK
• Vitamin Water promotes a new product, via PSFK
• A very cool pop-up cafe called Greenhouse constructed entirely from recycled materials that served locally grown food, via Springwise
• Urban Outfitters' retail experiment in Hollywood, CA called Space 15 Twenty, via Springwise