Retail pop-ups rise in popularity in South Florida despite market upheaval

SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNAL — FEBRUARY 3, 2021 — BY MATTHEW ARROJAS While on a walk, Jozy DeFord came across an ad for vacant space at a Terranova Corp. development on Lincoln Road.

That day, she decided to finally open her first brick-and-mortar store after years of waking up at 3am to sell her retro wares at various markets across South Florida.

She call the number and three weeks later on October 23 opened her antique clothing concept, Renegade Rustlers, in a 348-sqaure-foot pop-up space at 804 N. Lincoln Lane.

“There is one area of my life that I know I’m really good at, which is my business and my eye,” she said. “It’s like all that has been validated now that I have my own store.”

Entrepreneurs like DeFord stand to benefit as retail landlords turn to short-term, pop-up leases to attract more spending at their properties amid a wave of closures caused by Covid-19.

Prior to the pandemic, the number of small operations like hers had steadily declined from busy strips like Lincoln Road, where rents for retailers were most expensive. Now, these small operations help attract more customers amid the economic downturn.

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