Green Room Retail CEO chimes in on pop-up shop phenom

Green Room Retail CEO chimes in on pop-up shop phenom
Tags: Marketing, Merchandising, Store Design & Layout
February 3, 2010

Provider of retail solutions including retail design, point-of-purchase, shop-in-shop and flagship store design, Green Room Retail founder and CEO Richard Ash discussed the waves being made by pop-up shops in a recent interview about the retail industry.

In an interview segment entitled "Retail Focus," Richard Ash talked about pop-up shops and retail displays, ranging from what a pop-up shop actually is and does, the benefits they bring to the retail market, whether the trend will continue and grow in the future and personal opinion on the focus of Green Room Retail in the industry.

Ash believes that 2010 will be the year when point-of-purchase pop-up shops will finally break into the mainstream consciousness of the general public. Richard notes how pop-up shops can utilize and bring new life to an empty unit and provide a steady stream of revenue to landlords, and outlines some of the processes involved when creating and setting up a pop-up shop.

"They are an exceptional means for drawing attention as they are able to quickly draw a crowd if designed well and staffed appropriately," he said. "I think it's important however that we don't tag every temporary store as a pop-up. For example, many of the 'pile it high, sell it cheap' stores that spring up in town centers across the land around Christmas are not pop-up shops, they're just the high street equivalent of a jumble sale.

"For me, true pop-up shops differ because they offer the consumer something way above a cheap thrill. They indulge, excite, stimulate, challenge and entertain. True pop-up shops immerse the consumer in a unique brand experience. That's why I think pop-up shops can, and should, offer so much more than a revenue stream. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that they are one of the most compelling experiential marketing tools for any consumer brand. Imagine that — a shop that can be deemed a success without even needing to sell."

Reader Comments

anthony threlfall

about 17 months ago

Any shop that does not sell something can never be described as a success - it can only be described as a marketing or brand execution - albeit a successful one. A surprisingly mixed up article from a highly expereinced retail professional. Pop up shops are just that they pop up for short peiods of time and operate as a store to make money. They are highly effective, the author personally may not like the merchandise but they form some of the most efficent retail estate on the high street.