The people behind the Foundation Restaurant need to bypass the rest of the year and a bit before returning to build out their restaurant. Can this provide someone with an great opportunity to bring a quick retail idea they had into reality? Or test out on a limb concept without the need to sign a long lease or take on considerable risk.
As we have written before the Junction retail strip needs diversity in store types, something it lacks now, compare the Junction strip to Bloor West village or Queen West – both areas have a much greater variety of stores. The risk in testing out a opportunity is huge, which is why many people and large companies are turning to popup store to test out concepts or simply to run a effort for sales gains. Could this sublet provide the opening…more info on the concept below and by the link… also the guy in the pop store video provides a great feeling of how exciting a popup can be.
…whats a popup store?
If new products can come and go, why can’t the stores that display them do the same? Well, you guessed it, retail outlets increasingly do. From gallery-like shopping spaces with one-off exhibitions to mobile units bringing innercity-chic to rural areas,
TRENDWATCHING.COM has a complete article on this subject click this line to view it in a new window.
view a popup store video
yes.. yes…. the blog has been hoping of the opportunity for popups in the Junction
7 Comments
With the glut of available storefronts in the Junction, there's much cheaper locations than that. Perhaps not nicer, but certainly cheaper.
I wouldn't exactly call it a "glut of empty storefronts". If you compare the amount of available storefronts there now to the lareg number of empty stores that were there four or five years ago, there are FAR fewer now. This is the perfect sublet space for an art supply store (we need one in the Junction – any takers?) or some other kind of specialty store.
Yes, PLEASE, an arts supply/services store, if one opens up in the Junction, I'll never go to China town again
I seems like the few times that I've commented here, someone feels that it's necessary to rebut me. My point is simple – there's a lot of storefront space available in the Junction right now and I suspect it's all cheaper than the one storefront featured on this blog.
It would be great to see an art supply store in the junction, but I'd rather see one start up in a space that isn't a one year sublet.
I was looking forward to the Foundation restaurant opening up and I hope that it still does, even if it is delayed for a year.
I'm inclinced to agree with you, JR.
While there are more occupied storefronts than in previous years, there are still plenty of empty storefronts, especially west of Quebec. I admittedly don't know what the landlords are asking, but I'd expect that someone seeking to start a business – particularly a highly specialized store (such as an art supplies store) that depends more on publicity and less on precise location – would find cheaper accomodations which are just as suitable in one of the many empty storefronts near Malta Park. For that matter, there's a great corner property on the south side across from Crema just begging for a tenant.
Yes there are probably lesser rents available on the strip somewhere, but this store is with the the much traveled area of the Junction. Whereas west of Quebec Ave. there is far less walk by traffic. Stores seem to want to locate in a small part of the Junction where the customers are.
Junction Resident, I agree with you on the much cheaper storefronts/rents, wasn't trying to rebutt you, not at all! I was just commenting on the need for an arts/services supply store in our neighbourhood, I still can't believe we do not have one. I would much prefer a permanent location than a store-front that can only be leased for one year, I really don't care where they choose to open, as long as it's permanent 🙂
http://junction-parents.blogspot.com/2008/12/junction-badly-needs-art-supplies-store.html