Pop-Up Retailer Boosts Big Sales In Lakeview

By Amy Perry in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 26, 2010 9:10PM

The retail trend of pop-up or temporary retail space is nothing new but Colliers International, a leading global real estate services firm, lists 2010 as the “Year of the Pop-Up” in its 2010 Retail Trends and Opportunities report. Since June of last year, Chicago has had its own designer sample pop-up retailer, RE.STOCK. According to Colliers, the emergence of trendier retailers in the pop-up business appeals to landlords who are willing to do very short-term leases and because the retailer has a low overhead, they can keep prices low, which appeals to the buyer. RE.STOCK opened its first location the West Loop and has popped up once a month at other neighborhoods including Lincoln Park and River North. Yesterday, RE.STOCK opened its first store in Lakeview at 3221 N. Broadway (just north of Belmont) and will be opened all weekend featuring men's and women's designer samples and overstock at up to 80 percent off retail.

RE.STOCK hopes to reinvent the way Chicago looks at designer sample and overstock sales and claims to have the only sample store in Chicago with a full men’s division. Julie LaBarge, President & Founder of RE.STOCK Shop, says this weekend’s store has a “huge men’s section”. She also added that the store is currently replenishing their fall merchandise with the spring and that they always refresh the store with new designers and new fresh merchandise along with those must-have staple items that are essential to everyone’s wardrobe. Designers include Cosa Nostra, winner of the third season of Project Runway, and J Lee Silver, one of the 2010 honorees of the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion Chicago. To find out RE.STOCK’s next location, sign up for their mailing list here. Feel free to share with us if you are a fan of the pop-up retail trend.