PopUp Republic Cites Iconic Roger Smith Hotel as a “Pioneer” of the American Pop-Up Industry

CHICAGO - March 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Pop-ups are becoming practically ubiquitous in this country.  They are effective tools used by economic development specialists to revive economically-challenged neighborhoods. They are channels through which on-line retailers are providing their customers with “shopping experiences” through which merchandise can be seen, touched and tried on.  They provide big brands temporary brick-and-mortar venues at which they can launch new lines or test out new markets.  And they give artisans and aspiring chefs much-needed outlets through which they can showcase their talents.

But one problem the industry has faced as it experienced its meteoric growth has been finding spaces in which to host its pop-up events.  Either because of a lack of storefront vacancies, or an initial reluctance by commercial landlords to allow their properties to be used for pop-ups, finding appropriate spaces for pop-ups was an obstacle that was hard to overcome.

The pop-up industry in the United States is still so young that it is hard to think of it in terms of “pioneers."  But when a history of this popular trend is ultimately recounted, the Roger Smith Hotel in New York City will undoubtedly be cited as one of the linchpins on which the pop-up movement was built.  At least so says Jeremy Baras, the founder and CEO of PopUp Republic and a specialist on the American pop-up scene.

“For the pop-up movement to get a stakehold in the United States, it needed to have a presence in New York, the leading trendsetter in the country.  If it could make it there, it could make it anywhere, as the lyrics go,” said Baras.  And to do that, and to attract the sort of brands that could convert pop-ups from fringe player to mainstream headliner status, pop-ups needed venues that were not only adaptable to the varying needs of different types of retailers, but also presentable — even upscale.

This wasn’t easy to find a few years ago.  But in 2009, the Roger Smith Hotel, one of New York’s great unsung family-owned boutique hotels located in Midtown Manhattan and a long-time promoter of the arts in NYC, teamed up with Melissa Gonzalez, the founder of The Lionesque Group, an acclaimed pop-up producer and strategist, to create a hub at the hotel for the emerging pop-up industry.  The innovative concept has grown into a successful pop-up enclave called The Market, made up of three street-level revolving storefronts.  Each of the three venues provides a host of services in addition to physical settings that accommodate the wide gamut of retail pop-ups that are looking for ideal pop-up locations.

“The Roger Smith Hotel is one of a handful of pop-up spaces that we think deserves most of the credit for what is now a teeming pop-up scene in New York City,” Baras said.  “Their pop-up venues, combined with the services that they provide in concert with The Lionesque Group, skew the odds toward success for the exploding pop-up sector.  They give more than a space — they give the merchant a platform upon which to create some of the most innovative pop-ups lucky New Yorkers get to frequent,” said Baras.

The three spaces that constitute The Market are profiled on PopUp Republic’s directory under Greater New York City Pop-Up Spaces (www.popuprepublic.com/popup-directory-ny/new-york-pop-ups/greater-new-york-city-pop-up-spaces_c2935/).

Founded in 2012 in Boston and now based in Chicago, PopUp Republic is a leading service provider for the burgeoning pop-up industry. Among its many offerings are PopUps Across America, the first online shopping mall that features products offered by pop-up merchants, and an online directory that displays thousands of pop-ups occurring nationwide providing a one-stop shop for shopping enthusiasts.