Jul 12, 2007

Popping up in downtown?: City eyes plan for temporary storesBy Donna GoodisonBusiness.BostonHerald.com

The city is working on a short-term marketing initiative to keep foot traffic flowing at Downtown Crossing after Filene’s Basement closes for two years for the $625 million redevelopment of the former Filene’s complex.

Ideas for the transitional plan include the possibility of “pop-up” stores to fill the void in the struggling retail district when the Basement shuts at the end of August.

Pop-up stores remain open for a limited time – a few days or weeks – and are designed to generate buzz about a brand or retailer and create a sense of urgency about their products.

Pop-up stores frequently appear in larger cities, such as New York and Los Angeles. Retailers who’ve recently used them in the Big Apple include the oral care company Rembrandt, which opened a “mini museum of the mouth”; mineral water company Evian, which opened a temporary spa; and JCPenney, which put 22 Internet kiosks in a three-level Times Square space so shoppers could make online purchases.

“It’s a new concept for us, but it’s been wildly successful there,” said Kristin Keefe, the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s retail sector manager.

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