Pop-up stores come and go

"Pop-up" or "guerilla" stores set up shop in vacant storefronts, sell trendy exclusive products, and then disappear after a short time. The temporary locations have a "get it while it lasts" appeal. The concept pioneered by Vacant has picked up steam, with big brands like Levis, Adidas, and Sony opening temporary stores in big cities to entice trendsetters to buy limited-edition products. A Brazilian cosmetics firm uses vans as traveling stores that move between events and other gathering spots. How can a small retailer use this concept? Test an expansion location in another town. Take advantage of short-term or seasonal sales at tourist destinations. Open a second, temporary location for the Christmas season. The trick seems to be stocking inventory "cool" enough to generate word-of-mouth promotion.