Chicago Art Gallery Provides Upscale Solution for Pop-Up Merchants

CHICAGO - Sept. 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Hardly a day goes by that Jeremy Baras, CEO of PopUp Republic, isn’t asked for advice by prospective pop-up entrepreneurs.  As often as not, the query he fields is “What is the key to having a successful pop-up?”

One might think that the answer would be having great products to sell.  Or perhaps having a strong marketing campaign to attract customers.  And while both of those may be integral to hosting a successful pop-up, they aren’t the single most important factor, according to Baras.  Rather, he says, the most important element is something that has long been an accepted truth in the real estate field — “Location, location, location.”

Here’s what Baras had to say:  “By now, PopUp Republic has had tens of thousands of pop-ups posted on its national pop-up directory.  We’ve seen which ones worked beyond their host’s wildest dreams, and which ones fared poorly.  No question that the ones that were the most successful had selected the right space in which to hold their pop-up event.”

When it comes to location, Baras referred to several issues.  Most obvious is the geographic location of the venue.  Opening up a pop-up store — a temporary shop that opens and closes in quick order, usually in a matter of days — means that the host doesn’t have the typical advantages a permanent store has, namely, no prior foot traffic, no prior word of mouth, no marketing campaigns, no attractive and expensive build outs.  So being located in the right neighborhood, even on the right block, gains in importance.  The customer base has to already be in the area and pedestrian and automobile traffic must already exist.  Visibility takes on added importance.

But Baras says that “location” as it relates to pop-ups also means the nature of the venue itself.  Unless one is talking about a public space or a farmers/flea market or even a yard sale, a pop-up merchant needs to have the right ambiance in order to showcase her exclusive merchandise or event.  “With a pop-up, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of money on a build-out.  In fact, the landlord probably wouldn’t let you anyway.  You need to find the right interior space, especially if what you are selling is relatively upscale.  So location not only means the right street, but also being in the right building,” Baras said.

As an example, Baras pointed to the Floating World Gallery, an 8,200 square foot space located in the heart of one of Chicago’s most upscale retail neighborhoods, Lincoln Park.  The gallery has been one of the leading dealers of Japanese art for over 20 years but also makes its facility available for pop-ups.  The art that adorns the gallery’s brick interior provides the perfect backdrop for pop-up fashion shows, boutiques, product launches, or intimate dining experiences, without the pop-up organizer having to lift a finger when it comes to build-out.  As a result, not only have emerging artisans used FWG as their pop-up venue, but so have such recognizable brand names as The North Face, Top Man, Campbell’s Soup, and Thrill List, to name a few.  According to Baras, “Floating World Gallery offers a better space for pop-ups to use, on a turnkey basis, than most permanent retailers have.”  Baras added that they even offer valet parking!

Pop-ups offer an opportunity for merchants to participate in the upcoming holiday shopping season.  Chicago has become one of the world’s leaders in the pop-up movement, thanks partly to its world-class retail and dining sectors and partly to the availabilty of pop-up spaces such as Floating World Gallery.

PopUp Republic is the only social media marketing company that focuses solely on the pop-up industry.  For further information, contact info@popuprepublic.com.  To learn more about Floating World Gallery, visit www.rentfwg.com.