Robbin Yelverton, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, co-owner of Blumz…by JR Designs is excited to introduce his brand to urban dwellers during a new Tuesday market in Detroit’s Capital Park.
Absent any major gift-giving holidays, the summer months can spell long, barren days for retailers. This year, a Michigan florist has an idea to combat the slowdown: hosting a weekly “pop up” shop in a local park.
Starting June 26, Blumz… by JR Designs, which has locations in Detroit, Ferndale and Holly, will join seven other local vendors in putting on a shopping market each Tuesday in Capitol Park, a square in a historic area of downtown Detroit.
Blumz will send two employees to man a booth from noon to 4 p.m. They will sell a variety of items, including Michigan-grown flowers, plants, gifts and décor. Prices will be mid-range (think: $20 pre-made bouquets and a DIY bar), said Sadie Quagliotto, Blumz’s marketing director and social media manager. “We want people to grab and go on their break while they are walking the city,” she explained. “Plus we will have some plants at different sizes for both indoor and outdoors, as a lot of people in the area live in apartments.”
The Tuesday Market Pop Up is intended to keep the Blumz brand front and center in the community during a traditionally slow period and to help the company become more acquainted with urban dwellers.
Editors of Affordable Shopping Destination declared pop up farmers’ markets “the original direct-to-consumer retail destinations.”
“Farmers markets offer so much more than the average shopping experience,” they said. “With this and inspiring grassroots approach, you can expand your clientele and increase your revenue in the process!”
Interested in going to market? Here are some tips from Shopify:
- Start a Moodboard. Steal a practice from your bridal clients and head over to Pinterest. Check out “market booth inspiration” and see what jives with your style. The design website and app Houzz also offers a multitude of visual ideas. (Browse under “Storage” and “Decor” to refine your search.) Then gather all the saved images that inspire you and create a moodboard to keep you inspired as you hatch your plans.
- Create Your Plan. Once you’re approved to attend the market you’re aiming for, contact the show’s organizers to get the floor plan and any rules or regulations regarding setup. Booth regulations can be a creative challenge — how will you conceptualize the space within the constraints? Ask yourself what items you need displayed and what is the best way to present your products. Sketch out a few possible layouts and don’t forget to leave room for an area to process payments and for storage.
- Consider Who Will Build the Booth. Equipped with your vision and the show’s plan, consider how you’re going to build your booth. If you have a good handle of your moodboards and enough inspiration, you might be able to sketch out the blueprints yourself with the help of interior design apps for iOS or Android.
- The Aesthetics: Choose Your Materials, Colors, and More. And now for the fun part: deciding what colors and materials to use in your booth. The goal is to create a cohesive and on-brand look with the elements and colors you choose. Andrea Tucker from Got Craft? in Vancouver, British Columbia recommends sticking to muted colors (white works especially well) to help make your products stand out. There’s a reason photographers and top brands use white backdrops to shoot items on Instagram — it really makes the products pop. And if you’re going with another color palette, try matching it to your brand and use the same color for your packaging, signage, and maybe even how you dress at the show. Uniformity and consistency make for stronger branding.
- Make the Most of a Tight Budget. It’s all about being creative and repurposing items for different uses, especially when it comes to visual presentation. For example, consider using books as risers or china saucers as holders for small items like jewelry or pins. Other fun display items include ladders, tool boxes, drawers, kid chairs, boxes or crates, racks, and three-tier stands. Find inspiration in the vibe and general aesthetic at retail stores that have mastered the whimsical, lifestyle feel. Two examples include Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. Browse their locations or simply their social media feeds (especially Instagram and Pinterest). You might just find the ultimate decorative pieces for your booth in the process.
