Imagining ‘Pop-up Stores’ in Kingston

By Arthur Zaczkiewicz

There’s an interesting Q&A story in the Watershed Post about a project aimed at re-imagining empty storefronts in the town of Roxbury. Designers are beginning work on creating “fantasy” retail spaces on Main Street, which will be open to the public for a month. The article is an interview with the mastermind behind the effort, architect Andrew Williams. Read about it here.

With an excess inventory of empty storefronts in Kingston — uptown, downtown and in midtown — we sure could use some creative thinking just like Roxbury.

Here’s another idea for empty storefronts in Kingston: open them up as temporary retail spaces.

Commercial property owners in Kingston could offer their vacant stores for two- or three- month periods at discounted rates during key times such as the current back-to-school shopping season or the holiday shopping season. These “super, mini leases” are common in the retail industry with retailers and brands such as Nike, Sharp Electronics and Target opening up galleries and temporary stores across the globe. Tagged “pop-up retail” stores, the concept has been around for about six years. Check out this story about the trend.

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