Shipping Container Stores in Vacant Lots as Pop Up Stores

Earlier this week, we aired a show on CRE Radio on the topic of Pop Up Stores with Myriam Beaugé of Tactics Magazine & Shopping Center Weekly, Christina Norsig from Popupinsider.com and Harold Tolchinsky a partner with the law firm of Cole Shotz. The topic of show was the growing trend of Pop Up stores and malls.  As part of the conversation, there was mention of a BoxPark, a new "Pop Up Mall" in the East London that is built with shipping containers.  

It was a very dynamic and interesting show with articulate and knowledgeable guests.  If you want to hear the podcast in its entirety, click here to listen or download the MP3 or iTunes version.

This was the first time that I heard of the use of shipping containers for pop ups.  Upon further thought though, it does make sense.  If you can overcome code and safety issues, it might be a particularly good and inexpensive and "green" construction method.  For certain Pop Up and temporary retail this might also be a good method of controlling costs.

No sooner do I complete the show, than I read an article in the Inman News, by Susan Gallymore, describing how Starbucks has now opened a, now-one-of-a-kind drive-thru/walk-up Starbucks coffee outlet off Interstate 5 in Tukwila, Washington, constructed out of shipping containers.  While not touted as a Pop Up Store, per se, it clearly falls within my definition, of a Pop Up Store.

As quoted by Susan, "We can put a store like this on a lot that will be developed someday but is free for two or three years, and then we can move it." Sounds very pop up to me.

It should be noted that this cargo or shipping container consturction concept dovetails very well with Starbucks core mission of reducing its carbon footprint by recycling these metal containers that usually are scrapped after a 20 year useful life.

Finally and you must forgive me for this following comment, but I noticed a reference in the Inman News about conversion of missile silos for retail.  Now that is the ultimate in pop up retail, no?

For further discussions on Pop Up Stores, go to Tactics Magazine for my upcomming series of columns on the topic.