The Downtown Shareholders are sponsoring an effort to attract new pop-up businesses to downtown Kansas City, Kan.
Chuck Schlittler, director of the Downtown Shareholders, said the organization will try to help establish three to five pop-up businesses in May or June that would last from a month to three months in vacant storefronts in the downtown area.
The “Pop-Up! Downtown KCK” program will allow fledgling and established businesses to test the waters and see how a business would operate in the downtown area, he said.
Pop-up businesses are temporary, often open for a few months at a site, and are an opportunity for entrepreneurs to see how their business will do, as well as an opportunity for land owners to see how well their property would do as a commercial site, according to Schlittler.
The pop-up business idea has become popular on the East and West coasts, he said.
Downtown Shareholders plans to meet with KC Sourcelink and other groups in the area about this project, he said.
“We’re beginning to network and get the word out to pools of folks who sponsor these types of networks,” he said.
So far, the Downtown Shareholders have talked with a couple of property owners who may be interested in participating in this project, he said.
Schlittler said he is excited about the new project, and that Downtown Shareholders has received funding from the Local Initiatives Support Corp. that will help to lower leases to below-market rates. As much as $5,000 may be committed to this effort, he added.
The Downtown Shareholders plan an educational program during the 11:30 a.m. luncheon on March 13, on “So You Want to Start a Pop-Up Business?” It will give an overview of the entire process and will describe how people can participate.
The Downtown Shareholders will receive applications (responses to requests for proposals) for the pop-up program, and a group from the Downtown Shareholders will select businesses and properties. The requests for proposals are located on the Downtown Shareholders’ website at http://downtownkck.org/full_content.php?article_id=749&full=yes&pbr=1.
Schlittler said there is a plan to drive traffic to the pop-up business sites. One method will be to hold a Wednesday downtown walk effort, where potential clients may walk around downtown and visit pop-up businesses during lunch time, he said.
Daniel Serda, economic development coordinator for the Downtown Shareholders, is spearheading the pop-up business effort, Schlittler said. Katy Schamberger, Downtown Shareholders marketing director, is working with communications, especially through social media, for the program.