Temporary "pop up" shops

[groovyjon]

Anyone have any experience with arranging temporary retail premises?

Like most retailers, we make most of our profits in the last 3 months of the year leading up to Christmas, and a lot of our trade is walk-in impulse buys.

Rather than open up other retail premises on long leases, I'm keen to explore the idea of using temporary space (high street or shopping centre) just for those 3 months of the year.

How do landlords react to this kind of request? I presume it would be done on more of a licence basis rather than a lease. Would they expect an exact pro-rata amount of the annual rent, or more, or less?

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Whilst the commercial property market is still having difficulties, there are opportunities for short term leases and the property owners would probably love the revenue. However, some agents dislike it as they see a lot of work for little return!

You could speak to councils or even the shopping centre management to see if there are opportunites, but get in front of them now!

 

[Jessica-Runway]

You can try google "temporary retail premise", some do business on temporary office space like that.
Hope it can help.

 

[deniser]

Bluewater has a department specifically for short lets so I imagine other large shopping centres will have something similar. I think they call it "speciality leasing".

I would imagine that the rents at Christmas are probably higher than at other times of the year though as there is a lot of demand.

I know someone who rented a unit for Christmas but they made him take it for a month after Christmas so up to end January.

 

[tyro1979]

I opened a shop before Christmas on a high street. Many customers enquired whether I was one of those pop-up shops, conveying fear they wouldn't be able to return goods. I'm not sure how many if any it would actually stop buying?

 

[KeithGreen]

There are also the little centre-aisle kiosks you see in shopping malls. I think they might be available for short term rent although probably in high demand at Christmas.

 

[groovyjon]

I opened a shop before Christmas on a high street. Many customers enquired whether I was one of those pop-up shops, conveying fear they wouldn't be able to return goods. I'm not sure how many if any it would actually stop buying?

That's interesting, I hadn't considered that. Although we have another permanent shop and we also trade online so I don't think it should be a problem.

What proportion of the annual rent did you end up paying? And when did you start talking to the landlord?

 

[StratBee]

Hello, this may be a little late but, helpful I hope... I currently arrange and orgainise for retailers and businesses, etc to have access to temporary retail space across the country and may be able to help you obtain a short term lease. I would recommend, approaching the landlord of your desired retail unit well in advance if, trying to get a Christmas period position. At least that way you can build a working relationship with the landlord and become familiar. It's just over 6 months until December, anyway!

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Like most retailers, we make most of our profits in the last 3 months of the year leading up to Christmas

Most retailers?
Doubtful