Podcast

Pop Up Retail is a creative way to Hit the Bullseye. Pop Up Retail focuses on temporary spaces that “pop up” one day, then disappear anywhere from one day to several weeks later. These shops, while small and temporary, are used by companies to build interest in their product or service, and seed their product with cultural influencers.

Companies can engage customers through a unique environment that generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity. Pop Up Retail is often used by marketers for seasonal items such as Halloween costumes and decorations, Christmas gifts and Christmas trees, or fireworks, allowing brands to capture foot traffic without committing to a long-term lease.

Pop Up Retail began to expand in 2002 when discount retailer Target took over a 220-foot-long boat at Chelsea Piers for a two-week stay on the Hudson River that coincided with Black Friday and extended into other genres around 2009, when the Pop-up restaurant – temporary restaurants popping up in various locations – began growing in public interest and frequency.

Here in Pittsburgh, Project Pop Up: Downtown is a program of the Mayor’s Office, in conjunction with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Department of City Planning and Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership

Over 90 artists, entrepreneurs, and non-profits submitted proposals to activate Downtown storefronts. Finalists were invited to “pop” into Downtown for limited engagements. These finalists received grants with which they occupied vacant stores in Downtown throughout 2012. After the 2012 pilot year, three of the Pop Ups signed long-term leases and can still be visited today.

Project Pop Up was envisioned to be replicated and its reach includes one-time events and programs to create strong public places in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Whether it’s a non profit endeavor, a seasonal offering or a brand building opportunity, Pop Ups are a great way to Hit the Bullseye.

Guest:  Carrie Nardini is a marketing, fund-raising, social media manager and events organizer skilled in coordinating multiple projects simultaneously. She’s the Founder of I Made It Market, Director of both A Fair in the Park and Neighborhood Flea.

Tool: “If you don’t try, you’ll never know”. Listen to hear how this simple phrase kept Carrie going during her entrepreneurial journey.

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