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Opening the doors to pop up retail

The trend of pop up retail continues to live on but remains daunting to many small businesses, faced with leasing agreements and hefty overhead costs. As a response, Spaceworks has launched Pop Up Now, a one-stop shop solution for brands wanting to enter the pop up market.

A crowd gathered in Auckland’s Victoria Park Market last week to watch three empty areas turn into inviting pop up stores for Y.S Collective, A Little Shop and Exclusive Suit Supply. The transformation took only 10 minutes, illustrating how little time these beautiful shops can be created when you have clever ideas and the right tools.

Creating the pop up stores was the team from Pop Up Now, a new venture headed by Lizzi Hines. The managing director of fitout agency Spaceworks recognised a gap in the market for a business that helps retailers and brands wanting to be involved with pop up retail, but don’t necessarily have the know-how or confidence to do so. The company sees itself as an ‘online one-stop shop solution’ for location and roll out of pop up stores and events around the country.


Filling the void: The team from Pop Up Now turned this empty space into a slick showroom for Y.S Collective (below).

The Pop Up Now website provides an online directory of trusted suppliers for tools needed to set up shop – from wifi, cordless phones and wire hangers, to cabinet hire – and offers advice on matters such as short term lease agreements and connecting retailers with landlords. The website also lists spaces available to lease, starting from $45 per day, as well as a handy downloadable guide to the whole shebang. An app has been designed to work alongside the business, aimed at Kiwis wanting to find local pop ups, clearance stores and product launches.

It’s through this that Lizzi hopes to support retailers and impart knowledge gathered from 15 years in the retail design industry. “In the past pop up shops have been a vehicle for ‘indie’ retailers,” says Lizzi. “Pop Up Now is designed to open doors for the entire retail industry.”

Surf, design, travel – these are the things that gets Leigh out of bed every morning (those, and a piping hot cup of milky tea). She holds qualifications in both fashion design and communications, and has written a bunch of fashion, beauty, food, travel and design stories.

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