We’ve examined the phenomenon of POP UP Retail in this space in the past, and after taking a second look at this trend it’s safe to say it is still popping. A panel of retail executives at the recently concluded CB Richard Ellis World Conference in San Francisco claim that the trend is likely to continue its strong growth in the years ahead. The group felt that a growing number of brands and retailers are using pop-up stores, “as a modality to connect with shoppers.”
As the name implies, pop-up stores spring up quickly, typically in major retail destinations, and have a limited lifespan. The aim is not necessarily to sell goods but to create a buzz about a company or its products. Over the past five or six months, approximately 48 new installations have sprung up across the U.S., with most of those “popping up” in high-traffic, urban areas. However, that panel did add that they expect future Pop Ups to find their way, “into more B and C locations and secondary markets.” Such stores are particularly attractive to companies known for being innovative, such as Target, which has used the concept in the past, as well as those seeking to demonstrate or introduce a new product line.
The Kodak One gallery in New York’s SoHo district that the company opened up a few years ago was a perfect example of the Pop Up concept, although Kodak only kept the Gallery open for about a month.
