Pop-up shops are a Novel idea
On the fashion front, one of the more positive things to come out of the current recession has been the emergence of pop-up shops.
Across the country in cities big and small, they've been a bright spot in a growing retail landscape of empty storefronts and partially occupied shopping malls.
If you happen to be a regular window shopper on King Street, then you've probably noticed the pop-up shop trend over the past couple of years.
Sometimes a pop-up shop will take over an empty space for a few weeks or an established brand will host one within its own store.
During Charleston Fashion Week, both Billy Reid and Hampden Clothing featured in-store pop-up shops, and Cynthia Rowley has hosted several over the past year.
One example of a pop-up shop taking up residence in an empty space is at 501 King St. The brainchild of Lindsey Carter, who was a past finalist at Charleston Fashion Week, simply is known as "Pop Up Shop" and will be open until later this month.
Besides pieces from Carter's own line, Troubadour, the shop will carry local labels Proud Mary, Ashley Reid, Library, Theodosia, Julie Wheat and Kate Long Stevenson as well as items from Rose Kenan Interiors.
A pop-up shop that's making the leap to permanent store is Novel, which opens a showroom this week at 341 King St, Suite B. It's just above the Cynthia Rowley store.
As a pop-up shop, Novel briefly took over the old Nancy Koltes store on Upper King, a big, airy space that was a perfect compliment to the high-end vintage of Lauren Lail's Library and Jane Pope Cooper's two lines (Jewelry and Balboa). The space also featured local swimsuit designer Marysia and original artwork by local artists. Their holiday shop was such a success in 2009 that they revisited the space the following March during Fashion Week.
If you weren't able to make it to the pop-up shop, there's plenty of opportunity to visit the new store.
Novel will stock items from Lail's incredible collection of vintage from Library: Archives of Fashion, costume and fine jewelry from Jane Pope Cooper and children's gifts from Blue Chickadee.
