photo c/o Alexa Suter

MACCS the label being an online brand, I often throw one or two day pop-up shops so local girls can come shop the latest pieces and get a sense of the fabrics and sizing without the worry of placing an order online! It’s always a fun time and it’s a great way of introducing both myself and the brand to all the Vancouver babes! I thought I would show you a little glimpse into our latest pop-up/media night and tell you a bit about how I plan for a pop up shop.

A couple of weeks ago myself alongside Elpidio Trading and Stil Classics hosted a media night / pop up shop to showcase our new co-working space (which I wrote a bit about here).

We kept things fresh and simple because we really wanted to highlight each of our brands. So we offered crisp bubbles, yummy treats from Hugo’s Churros and Vital Supply Co. as well as brought in some gorgeous blooms from Flower Factory and that was it! It was a great night and not stressing too much over the details really helped for us to relax and enjoy the night with the focus being on our brands and the space.

1. PICK A THEME

Whenever I’m beginning to plan a pop up shop I always think of what the theme will be. I like to make each one a bit different to make each shop exciting and new for the girls that attend. I’ve done Spring Flings with flower selfie walls, lemon water, and greenery. I’ve also done an Autumn comfort pop up shop with comfort food, candles, and cozy sweaters. It’s always fun switching each shop up and doing something a little different each time.

2. FIND A SPACE

Once you have your theme you can start thinking about spaces that will compliment that. There are of course local spaces that are available for rent for the day or week, whatever you need, however, I am a big advocate of finding a space that will contain those four amazing letters – FREE! I love finding fun businesses to partner with to use their space because it will A. allow me a space to host my pop up shop and B. help bring awareness and customers to both myself and the business I partner with! I’ve partnered with juiceries, flower shops, and even cafés! I find this a great way of going about things because it’s always mutually beneficial. If you do happen to go the space rental route where there is a cost, try to find some other businesses that are along the same vibes as you that you can bring in and share the expense!

3. PLAN OUT DETAILS

Plan out exactly how you’re going to execute your shop. Say you decide on a boho summer nights party, what does that look like? What will guests eat, or drink? Will there be flowers? What type of decor? Plan it all so that there are no surprises and you can make sure everything will fit in with your budget.

4. FINALIZE VENDORS

Now that you have all your details planned out and you know exactly what you’re going to do, try to find some amazing local vendors to help with the details! For the most part, local businesses are more than willing to work together to make your night come together! Research some of your favorite local caterers, bakeries, wineries, florists etc. and send off an email letting them know what you’re doing and you’ll find more often than not they’re willing to work together and work within your budget. I’ve also offered an exchange for product before which is even better and that way we can both promote each other! 

5. PICK A FUN WAY TO DRIVE TRAFFIC

 It’s always great to offer some fun added benefits for your babes coming out to shop and support you! Offering some extra goodies will also help to drive more people to your shop! This could be as simple as a gift bag for the first few customers, or I’ve even done a cookie bar where they can take cookies home, I’ve also brought in a calligraphy artist to create custom prints for my guests. Create something fun and exciting to make your target want to come check out your new cool items! 

6. MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT!!

Pop up shops are super fun and it’s amazing coming up with all your fun and cool ideas, however, probably the most important thing is to make a budget and stick to it! The bottom line of hosting a pop up shop (other than brand awareness) is of course to make money! So if your budget is $100, stick to that and make the most of it. There are ways of sticking to your budget – cut out unnecessary things, buy and return decor, offer product in exchange for supplies/services. Keep your budget in mind throughout the whole process and keep track of expenses to help keep you on track! 

I hope you found these tips helpful! If you have any questions or want to share your pop up shop successes with me I would love to hear!

xx

Tessa