We're talking about those stores that show up for a brief
period, only to disappear into the void once the time period is over. A good
example are Halloween shops -- they pop up in September, only to disappear in
November. Fireworks shops also fit the bill.
Decide your store's purpose
and write your plan. Think about what kind of pop-up store you want
to open. Once you've decided what you want your pop-up store to sell, jot down a
plan. Your plan should include how long you want to "pop-up" for, how much money
you need, and how many workers you'll need.
Shop for a
location. You can find a location by going online at popupinsider.com, checking out Craigslist or even taking a
walk through local retail centers to look for vacant shop spaces.
Get competing lease
contracts. Once you've narrowed down a few locations, ask the landlords
or property managers for copies of the lease. Look at each lease and read the
fine print. Make sure that you can lease the property for the time period you
want to. Also, make sure the lease doesn't preclude you from running the type of
business that you want to operate.
Check local zoning
laws. If the activity you want to run is forbidden at the location that
you want to use, then what's the point in signing the lease? Make sure you check
your city's zoning ordinances before signing a lease for a pop-up space.
Consider short-term employees. If you'll be running a temporary shop, it might be wise to
consider hiring short-term or temporary workers.
Opening a pop-up business presents many of the same
challenges as operating a full time business. Have a look at some of our
resources below on starting a business.