Where the Pop-Up Revolution is Headed

Macy’s Story pop-in

NEW YORK—Earlier this year Macy’s rolled out its take on Story, the curated concept retailer that it had purchased in May of 2018. Thirty-six Story locations opened within Macy’s existing stores across the US, featuring “Color” as its inaugural theme. Essentially, customers were to explore and experience color through “a rainbow of curated products.” More than 70 small businesses featuring more than 400 products participated in the event. Macy’s plans to launch new themes every few months at its Story locations.

If this sounds similar to a pop up retail strategy that is because it is. Specifically, what Macy’s did was establish a pop-in⁠—a temporary store in which a concept takes space within an existing retailer’s store. Department stores are leading the charge in this area, according to a new Cushman & Wakefield report, with nearly every major department store chain in North America currently experimenting with them in one format or another.