This post is Part 3 of our How To Pop Up Series.
Check out the full series below:
Part 1 – What is a popup store?
Part 2 – 4 reasons why you should consider a popup store
Part 3 – How to find the right space for your popup store
Part 4 – What budget do I need for a popup store?
Part 5 – How to find complementary brands for a popup collaboration
Part 6 – How to promote your popup store
Part 7 – How to create a memorable popup launch event
Part 8 – How to turn popup visitors into loyal customers
Choosing your popup store location
It can be difficult to know where to even start looking and to be frank, there isn’t one location that fits all businesses. The options are endless, and without some pointers, it’s easy to get caught in analysis paralysis. Not to worry though, we are going to take you through the aspects of finding the right location for your popup store step by step.
Consider your audience
Firstly, it’s crucial to understand who your ideal customer is. You want to pop up where they already hang out to make visiting your store super convenient. For example, if your audience lives in metro areas, it makes sense to pop up somewhere central. If your audience predominantly shops from small independent high-end brands, then a boutique space in an affluent suburb would be a good idea.
Once you can narrow in on the location of your popup store, it’ll be much easier to choose the right space.
If you need some help with identifying the characteristics of your ideal audience, jump to this exercise.
How much space is required?
Should you rent a big space, just in case lots of people turn up? Or a small space, because large spaces with only a handful of people will feel terribly empty?
Consider the following:
- How many products do you want to display?
- Are you going to collaborate with other brands?
- Do you need space for a change room or demonstration area?
- What decor and shelves are you planning to instal?
As a rule-of-thumb, you want to allow enough space for you to speak comfortably to customers and have a handful of people browsing at the same time.
Don’t forget that you also need some room for a chair and a small table or desk, so you can process payments, nicely wrap purchases and work during down-times.
Ask your audience to RSVP
Whether it’s existing customers, your social media following or your email list, we recommend to ask people who engage with your brand in any way to RSVP or let you know if they’re interested in visiting your popup store.
Of course there’ll be drop-offs but this gives a good idea of what to expect.
From accessibility to realistic features, your location will play a central part in the success of your popup store.
Find the right space
This is where the fun starts! Check out websites like Spacely, SpaceBook or Popupshopup to browse a variety of rentals. Using filters, you can narrow down your search to suit your requirements.
Major shopping centres like Westfield are encouraging smaller stall setups in dedicated areas within their centres. The turnaround is usually really quick, which is convenient.
Alternatively, you can contact the owner or property manager of a space you might have your eye on, e.g. William Street in Paddington, Sydney. If it’s not obvious who looks after the property, chat to the neighbouring stores and see of you can find out more information about whom to get in touch with.
