Ypsi eyes pop-up retail concept for downtown revitalization

Detroit has CityLoft and The Detroit Shoppe; Fort Wayne has HollyPop. Could Ypsilanti be the next city to add its name to a growing list of places featuring pop up retail locations? According to Ypsilanti DDA Director Tim Colbeck, if the answer turns out to be yes, it'll be a win for a variety of community stakeholders. 

 

"We're all kind of approaching it from different ends on the same spectrum," says Colbeck. "At the DDA, we're looking at it as getting rid of some downtown vacancies, and the city is seeing how it will effect their revenues and job creation. The SBTDC (Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center) are looking at it because they have people coming to them wanting to start businesses."

 

Though a specific location and official commitments are yet to fall into place, talks have been underway regarding the possibility of bringing pop-up retail to downtown Ypsi. The concept could take several forms, says Colbeck, from a temporary seasonal venue for retailers to a permanent location rotating small businesses through on short term leases. 

 

A number of downtown landlords have been contacted as possible locations for pop-up location, and Colbeck says some have expressed general interest in the idea. The ability to get a renter into some of the long-vacant spaces permanently, or even to showcase the space is attractive to many property owners. 

 

"It's just another tool in the toolbox that we think could be really useful," says Colbeck. "It' been done in other communities to real success."

 

For now, the DDA, City of Ypsilanti and SBTDC will continue to work out such details as zoning, permitting and occupancy rules to decide if the pop-up concept is viable and to narrow down a potential location.