For years pop-up units have been regarded with a certain level of disdain. Landlords were put off by make-shift stores that failed to match the style or mix of their centres. But with soaring vacancy levels, the idea of a quick fix in the form of temporary lets is one that can’t be overlooked.

Entrepreneur Brian MacShane, an Antipodean who has worked at Espirit and Mambo, saw the need for quick and easy solutions to vacant space. Putting a high-fashion spin on the pop-up store of old, MacShane devised and co-founded Pop Store: a high-design roving fashion store that stocks new and unique brands.

“A lot of retailers are closing stores and we saw an opportunity to use those empty spaces in a creative way,” explains MacShane. The concept relies on a ‘here today gone tomorrow’ approach, marketed as a way to bring excitement and spontaneity to UK shopping centres.

Pop Store launched in Brent Cross in May last year, where it traded for two months introducing worldwide brands to North London, such as Le Spec sunglasses from Australia and the infamous T-shirt range from New York-based Christopher Lee Sauve. It then landed at Highcross Leicester between November 2009 and January 2010.

General manager at Highcross, Tom Nathan, wanted new openings to coincide with the busy Christmas period. Pop Store was ideal, as the shorter lease and minimalist shop fit allows the flexibility to be more creative and to open up quickly. “We’re committed to giving our customers as much choice as possible, and adding high profile stores to Highcross complements our retail mix perfectly,” comments Nathan.

The success of a pop-up store that fills vacant space and meets the standards of fashion-focused shopping centres was inevitable. Already Pop Store has plans for a nationwide rollout, with centres including Bluewater, Kingston, Bristol and Birmingham’s Bullring in the pipeline.

The next big opening is at Whiteleys Shopping Centre in Bayswater, West London. Whiteleys was London’s first department store in 1912 and flourished for years. But as the lure of the West End intensified, the store fell into decline and closed in 1981. It’s grand reopening, this time as a 300,000 sq ft shopping centre, followed in 1989.

Although Whiteleys’s boasts old-time charm, landlord Jones Lang LaSalle wants to bring the retail side up to date. The launch of Pop Stores at Whiteleys on 25 March coincides with the centre’s new fashion focus, which aims to make Whiteleys more competitive among the capital’s retail. Pop Stores takes the initial concept of a pop-up boutique, but JLL associate director Ellen Lewis has expanded the idea from one store to an entire floor of pop-up boutiques.

“It’s exciting to work with a landlord that embraces change and sees the need to evolve the brand,” says Lewis. “Consumer shopping habits have changed dramatically in the last five years, so it’s vital that shopping environments align with customer demand.”

Pop Stores at Whiteleys will have five pop-up boutiques on continuous rotation. One will house the first pop-up FrostFrench store with womenswear designed by Sadie Frost and Jemima French, while MacShane’s Pop Store will occupy another.

MacShane is particularly excited about the part Pop Store will play in Whiteley’s new direction. “The creation of the pop-up zone has allowed us to fully flex creatively in terms of store design, as well as the product mix. We hope with Whiteleys we have put some fun back into shopping,” he says.

In the other pop-up units are retro American brand Junk Food; a series of shops, galleries and installations called the ‘Transit Lounge’; and a theatrical space stocking jewellery from Tom Binns, homewear brands, and accessories.

“The whole ‘Pop Store’ concept gives consumers something that is exclusive and discovery-driven, as many of the products on sale tend to be limited editions or limited quantities selling in a short timespan,” adds Lewis. “With rotating retail brands and store environments, customers can experience and purchase something different with every visit.”

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