Project: Pop-Up Pilot Program
Over 100 emerging brands and entrepreneurs applied to the pilot program of Project: Pop-Up in the summer of 2021. Over 15 brands were thoughtfully selected for the opportunity. These forward-thinking businesses popped up for two-three months at a subsidized rate and were provided with a suite of resources to help seed their success. The pilot pop-up brands represented a local and diverse mix of business owners, with 100% locally-owned, 80% woman-owned, and 40% BIPOC-owned.
94% of the brands continued to actively grow through brick and mortar retail channels. 53% have converted from pop-up to permanent tenancy. Newton, Needham, and Melrose were thrilled to welcome entrepreneurs, artists, eateries and more to their downtown districts to fill otherwise dormant storefronts with vibrancy and vitality while driving traffic to each area’s core of locally-owned businesses.