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The so called pop-up shop is a temporary arrangement. In the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008, many businesses had to shut down. Shops, warehouses and offices were left vacant when they stopped trading. Pop-up entrepreneurs occupied some of them quickly. For them the appeal of this temporary shopping concept is clear: they can start a business with much lower risk. The temporary nature of a pop-up gives the opportunity to test a product and develop a customer base, without being tied in to a long-term renting contract. Being small makes it much easier for pop-ups to expand if they are successful.
Pop-up shops first appeared in the UK in the early 2000s, with the economy booming. They were originally a way for small, niche companies to rent retail space in great locations. This was while landlords who owned these spaces looked for permanent tenants.
Pop-up shops can take a number of different forms. They might be temporary shops in the high street or a shopping centre. They might be simple market stalls. They could be based in some kind of transport, like a food truck. Or they could be run by people who visit different establishments, like travelling chefs who take over pub and restaurant kitchens temporarily.
According to a 2014 report by the Centre of Economic and Business Research, the pop-up industry was worth ￡2.1bn and is expected to grow by 8.4% this year.
Almost anything that can be on a high street can also be a pop-up. There have been pop-up shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants among others. In an age of fast-changing habits, the pop-up idea might be here to stay.
词汇表
a high street 商业街
a pop-up shop 快闪商店（临时铺位商店）
aftermath 余波，（某事造成的）后果
to shut down （公司，商店）关门、倒闭
a warehouse 仓库
vacant 空的，空闲的
to trade 经营交易，做买卖
a customer base 顾客群
renting contract 租赁契约
to expand 发展，扩大
booming 蓬勃急速发展的
niche 针对特定客户群的
a retail space 商用场所、空间
a landlord 房东，地主
a tenant 租户，承租人
a market stall 市场上的摊位
establishment 企业，集团