Pop-up venues feature a short-term lease, allowing the new business to come in for a temporary time and test the market


Why a Pop-Up? Imagine you want to start a business, but you find you have a few hurdles. First, you need to test the demand for your product. Second, you are having a hard time finding a venue. With sky-rocketing rental rates and minimum term insurance require- ments, venue space is often the hardest to come by for a new retail business. Food venues have similar issues, coupled


with health and safety regulations. A local pub, church kitchen or restaurant might offer some space for an entire night for a small business to test the waters of their new business idea. Pop-up venues feature a short-term lease,


allowing the new business to come in for a temporary time and test the market. A business owner can see if there is a demand for their product. Do people like it? Is it priced right? Is it easy to sell? A plethora of questions can be answered in order for someone to confidently decide if this is a fledgling idea or a money-maker.


Are they trustworthy? Pop-up food and retail establishments have gained a positive reputation amongst those who are looking for a new trend or new


player in whatever market. We aren’t talk- ing about a dodgy food cart or a purveyor of knock-off designer purses on the streets of London. Instead, these are businesses who are on the verge of their next business move and their pop-up experience will help them to test their product or services on a larger scale, gain a larger following, increase awareness, and then decide if they will invest in a permanent location. Take Flatiron. In 2012, they were a pop-


up restaurant above Te Owl & Pussycat Pub in Shoreditch. Teir plan was to spe- cialise in a single cut of meat – called flat- iron. Tey wanted to see if this sort of restaurant could survive on a single cut and they had just over a month to do it. Trough the power of social media and the help of bloggers, they grew a following of customers who raved about their product. Results are clear… today they have five lo- cations in some of the trendiest and prici- est venue spaces across London. Sometimes, pop-ups aren’t selling any-


thing. Instead, they are using the experi- ence to showcase their products. We have seen the near-death of the high-street shop thanks to the internet but, as humans, we are tactile. We like to touch and feel. While it is easy to order something online and not have to make a specific journey to a store or go on an endless search for “that perfect gift”, we also enjoy the experience of a surprise find. Sometimes the shopping experience can be a moment on your own or with a friend, where you discover some- thing new. Or old or different or limited. Hunter Boots has been advertising on the new neon boards in Piccadilly Circus since they were unveiled in September. Tey also


took a pop-up space in the underground station for the sole purpose of showcasing their products. Nothing was for sale! Tey had a shop nearby, so they just told cus- tomers to go there. It worked.


find them? Te pop-up has also given new life to un- used retail space. Owners of buildings and venues that contain office, retail or restau- rant space are looking for income. In the guise of Airbnb, venue rental sites such as Appear Hear (www.appearhear.co.uk), Te Store Front (www.thestorefrond.com) and We Are Pop Up (wearepopup.com) help entrepreneurs find a temporary home for their business. Startisans (www.startisans.net) is a


Where can I


venue located off a trendy street in Covent Garden, where now famous Bubble Wrap Waffle and Casa Cannoli had help in launching their products. Trough markets and other ventures, wannabe food produc- ers can bridge the gap from startup self- employed to popular vendor. Grubclub (www.grubclub.com) was


created for the purpose of giving chefs and other foodies the opportunity to offer meals or dining events in homes or small


www.focus-info.org


FOCUS The Magazine 5


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