The US-led concept of pop-up shops first hit our shored in the aftermath of the recession, but have become a popular sight in town centres and have even become a useful tool for marketing, for seasonal businesses and for landlords looking for short-term occupiers. The concept has been descrubed as similar to Airbnb for retail properties.
To that end, pop-up shops for Christmas are a good way for landlords to ear money on vacant units over the coming weeks. Irish company POPertee specialises in matching venues with brands seeking to open pop-up shops from one day to six months.
The company has some interesting ones opening for Christmas including Treasured Dolls in Jervis Street and Surf n Fries in Dun Laoghaire, both in Dublin. Drop Dead Twice has opened the first BYOB cocktail pop-up (a concept that was brought over from London) for the first time and the British Embassy are bringing 30 lifestyle brands to Dublin via a pop-up organised by POPertee in early 2017.

Types of Pop-Ups
‘For prime retail spaces, there is an opportunity for landlords to earn up to €52,000 (that €4,000 over a 13-week period) on otherwise vacant units over this ‘fallow period’, by opening up their space to pop-ups’ said Lucinda Kelly, who set up POPertee last year. ‘It’s all about experiential marketing and concpet stores. It’s about building a fn environment in which to showcase your brand bring it to life, and tell the story behind it and to build relationships with customers. A physical location is more interactive than an online one. It’s not necessarily about making retail sales during the pop-up period, but about engaging with customers, which in turn will lead to sales’ said Kelly.

Benefits to landlords
The benefits to landlords and shopping centres is clear too. Not only does the pop-up model showcase their space and attract interest from potential long-term tenants, but having big brands use the space in the short term drives up the property’s rental and sale value in the long term.
Anotehr area of opportunity for landlords for short-term rentals is leasing the space to a pop-up when the landlord has put in for planning permission, be that a change of use or alteration to the space. This period, between application and deciison, presents a chance to earn income on otherwise empty space.

Type of space
‘A pop-up does not just have to be a vacnat retail premises’ siad Kelly. ‘We have clients looking for unique venues such as historic buildings, warehouses, galleries and parks and we are constantly on the lookout or new venues.’
For more details on POPertee or premises available for pop-ups, email lucinda@popertee.com or visit popertee.com