News

Pop-up shops becoming mainstream

July 23, 2009

The Economist has published a brief exploration of the concept of pop-up shops, temporary stores set up by retailers in unexpected locations — from abandoned museums to churches to buses.

Retailers like Daffy's, Gucci and Brooks Brothers have utilized the concept this season, signing very short leases — usually just a few months — and reaching communities they might not normally extend into.

Pop-up shops are also being used in an attempt to bring interest and traffic back to that venerable retail institution, the shopping mall. From the article:

Hornall Anderson has been hired by the Westfield Group, which owns 119 shopping centres around the world, to find a way to win back brands and customers. The firm plans to use pop-ups to make shopping an unpredictable experience every month. The mall, it is hoped, will not disappear as quickly as most pop-ups do.