ABOUT THE Downtown Colorado Springs Holiday Pop-Up Shop Program
The Holiday Pop-Up Shop program is an opportunity for growing retailers to test the Downtown Colorado Springs market as a viable option for a brick-and-mortar location while contributing to the consumer experience during one of our busiest shopping seasons.
History of the program
Launched in 2014, the Holiday Pop-Up Shop program initially was conceived as a creative strategy for attracting new retail concepts to Downtown while also filling vacant spaces during the holidays. Since the inception of the program, more than 50 unique retail brands and concepts have been featured in individual or cooperative retail spaces.
Recent additions to Downtown such as Eclectic Co. (214 1/2 N. Tejon) and Crafted Colorado (327 N. Tejon) as well as established favorites like Rocky Mountain Soap Market (212 N. Tejon) and Story Coffee (120 E. Bijou) got their start Downtown through the Holiday Pop-Up Shop program.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Local, regional, and national retail brands with the ability to absorb between 1,000 and 4,000 square feet of retail space in their own brick-and-mortar store.
- Retail brands looking to establish a future presence in the market.
- Pop-ups should be complementary to the overall mix of Downtown’s existing retail while providing fresh offerings designed to increase foot traffic and drive more shoppers to Downtown.
How are participating retailers chosen?
- Retailers are selected through a juried process and will be chosen based on concept viability, product quality, ability to grow and establish a local presence, and overall fit of the product offerings.
- Retailers also will be selected based on alignment with the Downtown brand, their availability to maintain regular and and consistent hours of operation, their ability to supply the program with data on sales and performance, as well as the availability of space within the market.
- Ideal product offerings would fall in the following categories: gifts, apparel and accessories, specialty prepared/packaged food, books, sporting goods and supplies, pet supplies, Colorado/local and art/culture related retail items, as well as home goods, décor and other boutique items.
When to apply
A formal request for applications is issued in early September each year with applications typically due by the end of the month. Selected retailers are notified in October and short term leases are executed before November 1.
Retailers interested in operating a pop-up shop Downtown outside of the holiday season are encouraged to contact Alex Armani-Munn at Alex@downtowncs.com or by calling 719-886-0088 to learn about available spaces and additional eligibility requirements.