'Pop-up retail' finds local home

SANDPOINT — For shoppers and sellers alike, the fun and festivity of an open market brings plenty of advantages in tow.

The experience of browsing goods and grabbing a meal from local vendors is as much recreation as it is shopping for consumers. And for booth operators, the venue provides a marketplace where they otherwise would have none.

The brains behind the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association and economic revitalization project Genuine Sandpoint aim to use this dynamic as a generator for local economic activity. During March 1-4, two “pop-up retail” stores will appear in the former Belwood’s building recently purchased by Pend d’Oreille Winery owners Julie and Steve Meyer.

The stores, organized similarly to the booth structure often seen in festivals and farmer’s markets, will come in two flavors. Genuine Shoppe will offer crafts, goods and artwork made locally, while Marché Downtown will focus on gourmet food and drink grown, produced or made locally. The stores will run between 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 12-5 p.m. on Sunday.   

According to Genuine Sandpoint consultant Mark Rivers, pop-up retail is a national trend that makes use of the all-too-common vacated storefronts. By making use of key locations, these short-term markets create new opportunities for established businesses and newcomers alike.

“The trend is for retailers or manufacturers to introduce a new product and create some buzz,” Rivers said.

In Sandpoint’s case, Rivers hopes the retail shops will attract some of the town’s cultural strengths. Given the strong community of artists and artisans, he sees the shops as a prime market for painters, ceramists, sculptors and other creative individuals to sell their work. Meanwhile, the popularity of the Saturday Market and local food production, meanwhile, hold great potential for booths offering snacks or meals.

By collaborating with the DSBA, Rivers said the goal is to create a temporary surge of economic activity to the downtown sector. Furthermore, the markets could even serve as a launching pad for new local businesses.

“One of the other goals here is to incubate our smallest of purveyors and help them grow into full-fledged businesses and retailers that can help populate our downtown core,” Rivers said.

After all, if a booth operator at the pop-up retail store notes a particular demand for his or her product, it may prompt consideration into more serious business opportunities.

“It’s all designed to put them in the right environment and give them a chance for success,” Rivers said. “In this case, one plus one could equal three.”

Interested retailers can become involved in the pop-up retail stores by filling out an application available at the DSBA website — www.downtownsandpoint.com — and paying a $10 fee. To learn more, contact DSBA manager Marcy Timblin at 255-1876.