Rise of the fashion pop up store

With high street retailers facing hard times, the endless flurry of vacant signs across bricks and mortar stores have found new life in the form of pop up shops and exhibitions utilising the free space, and which only stay open for just

a few weeks or months. “The opportunity is there because there is so much space available,” said Maureen Hinton, retail director at Verdict Research in London. The number of pop-ups is “definitely increasing,” she said, without providing an estimate.

After a year of deteriorating consumer confidence and lower incomes, stores more than ever need a boost for the holidays, when retailers in some sectors can make more than a third of their annual sales.

Whilst these pop ups starting mainly as a means to attract immediate consumer and press attention to brands fighting their corner in today’s fast paced, saturated market, they now have become more than that; either as a way for retailers to test the waters without having to commit to long leases or to equal a quick sales boost.

Whilst of course, they work best around seasonal events and festivities, hence the current Christmas explosion - Pop-ups “are becoming more prevalent around seasonal events, and Christmas is the biggest,” said Neil Mason, head of retail research at Mintel International in London.

Average U.K. retail sales this year have risen less than inflation, meaning shoppers are buying less, according to the British Retail Consortium. December spending will rise by 3 percent, Mintel forecasts, providing an extra boost to shopkeepers with temporary outlets.

Pop-up stores typically pay landlords little or no rent outside of services such as electricity and construction costs. For property owners, the aim is to add retailers that can bring in more customers and improve the shopping experience. Airports are key places for pop up stores whilst mainstream retailers, such as Hobbs, are also joining the trail and big department stores including Selfridges are launching brands or increasing public interest by hosting pop up stores and exhibitions within their own store framework. The additional space “allows us to increase the profile of the brand at an important time of year,” said Hobbs Chief Executive Officer Nicky Dulieu. Whilst airport pop ups are a good option for brands who wouldnt have enough retail pull to be offered a permanent airport space, a spokesperson for Jack Wills confirmed their airport pop ups illustrate the brand still has broad public appeal.

And retailers are expecting this new pop up facility to be an ongoing trend – with driving sales key to their success, it’s a win win for retailers in this difficult climate.