Empty Retail
For decades, main streets have been the heartbeat of towns and cities, drawing people together for shopping, socialising and culture. Yet for many small businesses, the cost of securing a traditional main street lease is prohibitive. Vacant shops dot the streetscape, while independent brands often remain stuck online, hidden away from potential customers who might never stumble across them.
Enter The Pop-up Club, founded by entrepreneur Tillie Peel in Essex, England. What began as a local experiment has expanded across the UK, bringing life back to underused spaces and making them accessible to small, creative businesses.
The Aha! Moment
Tillie recognised a simple truth: empty retail units are wasted opportunities. Landlords dislike vacant storefronts because they attract vandalism and reduce surrounding property values. At the same time, artisans, eco-brands, and micro-retailers desperately want affordable access to foot traffic. The solution? Turn those darkened windows into rotating pop-up marketplaces.
The Idea
The Pop-up Club matches unused shops with emerging vendors. Instead of signing a long-term lease, multiple businesses share the space for a limited time. Rotations keep the offering fresh: one week it might feature sustainable fashion labels, the next a collective of local artists or independent coffee roasters. Customers are drawn back repeatedly, curious to see “what’s in the shop this week.”
It is not just about selling products. Pop-up marketplaces often host workshops, talks and events, transforming empty buildings into vibrant community hubs. The variety gives high streets a cultural dimension that traditional retail cannot always match.
The Outcomes
The model has been spectacularly successful. From a modest beginning, The Pop-up Club now generates over £700,000 annually, while offering affordable exposure to hundreds of small businesses. Its emphasis on sustainability and diversity has struck a chord with shoppers looking for experiences beyond chain stores and ecommerce giants. Local councils have praised it for revitalising footfall in struggling retail districts.
Implications for New Zealand Businesses
New Zealand’s towns and cities face similar challenges: empty CBD shops in places like Auckland’s Queen Street or Wellington’s Lambton Quay, alongside small creative businesses who can’t afford rent but crave visibility. The Pop-up Club model offers several routes for Kiwi adaptation:
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Local Marketplaces in Vacant Malls
Many suburban shopping centres in NZ are carrying empty units post-COVID. Landlords could partner with community organisers to host rotating pop-ups—filling gaps, restoring vibrancy, and reducing security risks. -
Council-Led Revitalisation
NZ councils could adopt this model as part of urban regeneration. For example, Christchurch City Council (already experienced with transitional “Gap Filler” projects after the earthquakes) could sponsor short-term leases to bring creativity and commerce back to underused areas. -
Tourism-Centred Pop-Ups
Tourism operators might cluster inside a shared pop-up, selling local tours, artisan foods and souvenirs in one temporary hub. This could be piloted during high-traffic events such as the Queenstown Winter Festival or the Auckland Arts Festival. -
Lateral Thinking: Beyond Retail
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Healthcare Services: Imagine a “Wellness Pop-up” where physios, nutritionists, and mindfulness coaches share a temporary space, offering free tasters and consultations.
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Education: Language tutors, coding bootcamps, or creative writing instructors could occupy empty units to promote workshops.
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Sustainability: Zero-waste refill stations could “tour” different suburbs each month, trialling demand before committing to a permanent site.
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Opportunities
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Visibility Without Overheads: Small brands can test physical retail without crippling rents.
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Shared Audiences: Vendors cross-pollinate each other’s customers, boosting collective sales.
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Community Connection: Pop-ups become not just shops but social hubs, adding cultural value.
Challenges
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Logistics: Coordinating multiple vendors, ensuring smooth changeovers, and maintaining consistent branding is not trivial.
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Permits and Compliance: Council approval, health and safety requirements, and insurance all need to be factored in.
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Sustainability: While short-term leases can be exciting, businesses must avoid over-relying on fleeting novelty; long-term growth requires strategy.
Conclusion
The Pop-up Club shows that creativity can transform dead spaces into thriving ecosystems. For New Zealand entrepreneurs, the opportunity is clear: rather than waiting for the “perfect” shop to open up, create your own stage—temporary, flexible, and full of energy. With the right partnerships and a dose of Kiwi ingenuity, the empty windows of today could become the community marketplaces of tomorrow.
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Source (story and image): The Scottish Sun https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/fabulous/14242109/pop-up-club-tillie-peel-essex/
