Farmers’ markets and food trucks may have fused with the city’s DNA, but Richmonders have started embracing an even more ephemeral way to buy: pop-up shops. If you are thinking of starting your own Instagrammable worthy clothing shop, planning your pop up shop might just be the way to success!
Trafficking in everything from shirts and ties to desserts and Mai Tais, these temporary points of sale have seen a boom in recent months, trans- forming vacant spaces and popular restaurants alike into fleeting, “you had to be there” opportunities for brands and consumers to connect.
Leading the way is Richmond shirt-maker Ledbury. For one month in Richmond, the company set up a temporary location at Stony Point Fashion Park in an effort to forge new relationships and gain brick-and- mortar experience.
“It’s a way to continue to get in front of people and introduce ourselves to customers in a way we think is impactful,” says CEO Paul Trible. “We did more (business) than we did at our flagship store, which is great. But for us, even more than revenue, it was a way for us to introduce new folks to the brand.”
Ledbury also recently participated in Northern Grade, a traveling menswear pop-up that drew around 2,000 shoppers to the vacant power plant at Haxall Point. For each event, the Minnesota-based mobile market invites a few dozen local and out-of-town brands to sell side-by-side, fostering a powerfully collaborative atmosphere. The Richmond event, which was hosted by Need Supply Co., proved to be more than just quality clothing and goods-the gathering highlighted a design aesthetic and a lifestyle choice.
“Everyone was so helpful and fun to work with,” says Northern Grade co-founder Katherine McMillan. “They all came together to have a good time.”
Richmond’s restaurants are in on the pop up action as well. This year saw vegetarian destination Ipanema Cafe launch a tiki bar pop-up, with guest bartenders T. Leggett and Tim Quinn slinging specialty cocktails and guest chef Brittany Anderson keeping throngs of tiki fans at bay with Polynesian-inspired dishes like ahi tuna poke.
That same sense of fusion has been witnessed at Pasture, where Hispania Bakery owner Maria Onsel has popped up for an unforgettable evening of Mexican-inspired cuisine. Pasture co-owner Michele Jones invited Onsel to provide desserts for one of Pasture’s regular taco Tuesdays, and the pop-up proved a genre-bending success.
“Pasture’s so awesome to work with,” Onsel says. “They’re just really gracious people and they want to help other businesses succeed. It was a great night. And the cookies sold out!” As for the drink that accompanied her cookies: “The horchata in the mason jar was their Southern contribution.”The event provided a bump in sales-Hispania’s supply of 36 pepper jack empanadas sold out in a record 12 minutes at the subsequent South of the James Market-and helped Onsel strengthen existing relationships. “My regulars that came in, or people that I knew, of course I went over and gave them a big hug and thanked them for coming because they’re really important to my business.”
In the coming months, Richmonders can expect to see the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts popping up just a few footsteps away from Ledbury’s previous Stony Point loca- tion. According to the museum’s head buyer, Raven Lynch, the temporary retail location gives the VMFA an opportunity to expand its reach. “There may be people who have not had a chance to come to the museum or to the shop, so we will be bringing to this space a lot of items that we sell there.” Given the pop-up’s timing-open until December 31st-it’s also ideal for spreading established traditions. “We like to celebrate the holidays. At Stony Point, it will be the same way. We’ll have a large celebration of artist- inspired ornaments, things that relate to the museum and the collection as well.”