VACANT city shopfronts are being transformed into artisan emporiums, artist studios and fashion galleries as CBD landlords embrace pop-up, or temporary, retail concepts to energise unleased space.
Pop-up retail is an international phenomenon that gained traction as a short-term solution to weak consumer spending and empty retail outlets in the mega markets of the US, Europe and the UK.
Now some of Perth’s biggest retail landlords, including Cbus property and ISPT, have embraced the idea to activate empty stores and draw new customers to their properties.
The latest pop-up concept features the Montage Collective and the works and wares of 14 of its local designers in a heritage shopfront on the corner of William and Wellington streets.
The outlet is part of the 140 development and a central plank of a broader push by centre-owner Cbus property to nurture the property as a cultural hub.
140 recently hosted the Made On The Left independent designers markets and provided pop-up space for fashion designers Kym Ellery and Josh Goot.
Kristi Dempster is 140’s marketing and tenant services manager and a big fan of pop-up retail, particularly as a marketing tool to draw new customers to a centre and provide fledgling retailers and creatives with the opportunity to test the city market.
“With property you are all about driving traffic and trade to your existing retail offers and it just gives the consumer something a bit different to bring them back to a retail destination,” Ms Dempster said.
“From a property marketing perspective it drives consumer interest … and I definitely think it assists in the leasing message.”
Montage is not paying rent for its two-month stay in the city store but it’s contributing to the promotion of the store, and Ms Dempster said Cbus recognised the value of the concept in promoting unleased space and showcasing emerging creatives.
ISPT’s enex100 has also embraced the pop-up concept, running an artist in residence program featuring artists and musicians in one of its empty retail outlets last year.
It’s a strategy senior marketing manager Gill Collins sees huge potential in, particularly at a time when retailers are battling to protect market share from online retailers.
Ms Collins said it was all about activating empty spaces with something that consumers couldn’t access or experience online.
“We are competing with that emerging trend to buy online so we have to come up with ways to put the theatre back into retail,” she said.
enex100 doesn’t have any vacant space at the moment but Ms Gill said it would definitely consider new pop-up concepts if shop space became available.
“Anything that creates activity enhances the asset or the CBD in general, ISPT are very passionate about being involved in everything that the city is trying to do,” she said.
