The 12th of April. A date so many of us had saved in our calendars...
The re-opening of the high street was highly anticipated and many were excited to get back to the high street and treat themselves after several months of lockdown. According to The Guardian, we were really enjoying the high street that Monday! As "shopper numbers at UK retailers surged by over 146%" on the 12th of April.
Just like the majority of the UK, the team at Contemporary by Barker Proudlove were eager to see the doors of many retailers reopen. The team have been working hard behind the scenes and we knew there would be a several new faces in a number of towns opening the doors for the very first time... which is certainly a positive thought during these challenging times.
So, just in case you didn't get chance to visit one of our Pop Ups in person, or perhaps you're looking for some new shops to visit, here are some highlights of what's been going on in April... We hope this provides inspiration for even more small businesses to take the plunge and go for it!
Carlisle - The Lanes Pop Up
The Natural Collective (12th - 18th April)
Korin from Luna Amatores and Natalie from Ethereal Scents joined forces to create The Natural Collective last year, and the duo returned to transform our pop up shop in Carlisle once more. With a beautiful range of crystals, jewellery, homeware and skincare The Natural Collective really did have something for everyone!
Monday started strong for the collective, who found a queue waiting for them to open the doors! When we caught up with Korin & Natalie, Korin confirmed that the week had been "crazily busy" for them.
The excitement continued in Carlisle, as Border Candles took over straight after The Natural Collective and offered a beautiful range of candles as well as some quirky accessories too. Here's a little snippet of what was on offer when Valerie took over:
Chester - Chester Pop Up
Cashmere & Canapes (22nd - 28th April)
Our pop up shop in Chester reopened its doors last week, and the space was transformed into an elegant boutique filled with luxury cashmere items.
Jill was blown away by the response to her pop up shop and we can't wait to see what this summer will bring for many other businesses planning on joining us!
Macclesfield
Cosy Wren
A new independent face joined the line up at The Grosvenor Centre in Macclesfield on the 12th...
Linda from Cosy Wren took over our Macc Pop Up Shop in November and after a successful pop up, Linda decided to use her new found confidence and open up a permanent shop here in Macclesfield town centre. Filled with a range of handmade goodies, Cosy Wren is the new destination for that perfect gift or treat.
Linda feels the pop up shop 'boosted her confidence' and helped her get to where she is today... The whole team are so pleased for Linda and her shop is a beautiful destination we can't recommend enough!
Here are a few snippets of Linda's shop:
Wigan
Plant & Flower Shop by Little Pot Plants and Olive Owl Flowers
Amy from Little Pot Plants had a vision for a quirky plant and flower shop that provided Wigan with a whole range of independent businesses to support. It was so exciting to help turn that vision into a reality and now you can find Amy's shop in Makinson Arcade, Wigan.
Collectively with Olive Owl Flowers, Amy has been able to create a bespoke plant shop, flower shop and gift shop all rolled into one.
*COMING SOON*
Altrincham, SQ Pop Up
If you've made it to the end of this blog post -congratulations! We're rewarding you with some juicy gossip. Our newest location is now LIVE and opening next week!
Nestled in the heart of Stamford Quarter, our latest pop up shop provides businesses the chance to be part of Altrincham - a fabulous town in South Manchester that is bustling with character and eager customers.
The response has been incredible and the calendar is booking up fast. So be sure to get in touch soon if you would like to be part of the pop up!
Stay tuned for more exciting pop up shops over the next several weeks... we have a lot planned!
To book any of our pop ups, simply visit the location page and click the 'book now' button. We'll be in touch to confirm and get you ready to be part of your local high street. Retail really can be this simple!
Sources:
The Guardian Quote: https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2021/apr/12/business-confidence-shops-pubs-restaurants-reopen-primark-ftse-stock-market-business-live
Various Lanes Pop Up Images: The Lanes Shopping Centre, Instagram
Cosy Wren Images: Cosy Wren, Instagram
Plant & Flower Shop Images: Little Pot Plants, Instagram
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