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A space that Pops: Retail Lab’s pop-up brings together 60+ brands
Since Power Plant Mall closed its busy Starbucks entrance earlier this year, the area known as R1 Lifestyles quickly turned into a quiet cul-de-sac: peaceful, shaded from sunlight, and less peopled than during its time as a major drop-off for mall-goers.
But since late May, the creative duo behind Retail Lab have been working up an antidote to this shopping ailment in the form of an impressive 300-square-meter space with over 60 independent, homegrown brands; a space for workshops and collaborative events; and an ever-changing kitchen—which have all drawn quite a crowd.
An all-local retail playground
With a facade once occupied by three different stores, POP by Retail Lab may just be the largest pop-up shop yet in Metro Manila. On one side, nearest Ronnie & Joe, fashion-forward apparel brands and fine leatherware are put together with arts and crafts supplies, local cosmetics brands, and even a selection of menswear. In the center, crocheted crop tops, leather sandals, neoprene bikinis, stick-on bras and colorful mirrored sunglasses share space with watermelon-shaped clutch bags, dreamy tepees, children’s tutus and onesies, handmade soaps and a fresh assortment of terrariums.
"There's so much competition now, they [the brands] really have to differentiate themselves from everyone else," said Claudine Baron-Paulino, one half of the Retail Lab duo. "Before it was more...reselling. But now a lot of local brands are really pushing it and, you know, creating their own stuff."
"We've always just wanted to be a venue for all local and independent and up-and-coming brands,” her partner, Rosanna Aranaz, explained.
Baron-Paulino and Aranaz, experts at what they do after over five years in this retail niche, told their story excitedly, finishing each other's sentences as if of the same mind.
"We had an idea, like a dream. And now…” Baron-Paulino trailed off, trying to put their accomplishments into words.
“It’s reality!” both partners quickly continued in unison.
Originally a venue for the students of the SoFA Design Institute to sell their merchandise back in 2008, SoFA Retail Lab has since evolved into a retail force to be reckoned with. The brand has been managed by Aranaz and Baron-Paulino since 2010.
Aranaz, in charge of the overall vision for this pop-up, explained: “It's always been my dream to have a cafe with a store. When an opportunity like this came up, we decided, why not do something like that, that merges...fashion and retail and lifestyle? So it's like a space for us to just play around.”
Ever-changing
And play around they did. The walls of the shop are decorated with large polka dots and big, lit marquee letters reading “POP.” At the far end of the space is the ever-changing POP Kitchen, currently hosting Banh Mi Kitchen until the end of August.
Foodie favorites Taco Vengo, The Lost Bread, Schmidts Hotdogs and Lucky Chick will follow in the coming months.
When asked how Retail Lab has stayed relevant after so long, the partners replied that they rotate brands so that there will always be something new for people to look forward to. The same principle applies to POP, where an increasingly impatient market needs to be constantly excited.
"I remember the first time we pitched this in 2009, like we were gonna put a photo studio, 'cause at the time uso yung mga photo [booth],” said Aranaz.
"And then in 2012, before we got the other space, we wanted to do a fashion show every week,” continued Baron-Paulino.
Today, it seems that the shift is towards “more hand-crafted, more specialized pieces” and many “health and beauty products that are hand-made.”
“Imagine this other brand...very interesting. She was telling us one of her products is made of rainwater! So she has to collect the water from the rain before she makes it,” said Baron-Paulino, referring to Black Rose Botanicals and its meticulously crafted products.
Temporary spaces, lasting impressions
Aranaz said that she and Baron Paulino like to select brands that have a core following that they can bring in—and, of course, with products they believe in. “I wouldn't pick a brand that I wouldn't buy from,” said Baron-Paulino.
TrendWatching.com, which presumably coined the term “pop-up” in a 2004 article, explains pop-up retail best as something that “fits right in with the Entertainment Economy, the Experience Economy, the Surprise Economy, with MASSCLUSIVITY, and so on.”
The article, relevant to this day, continues, “It's about surprising consumers with temporary 'performances', guaranteeing exclusivity because of the limited time span. It's about buzz, and about new try-out and testing techniques. It provides visibility for e-tailers and allows 'real-world' companies to enter uncharted markets on the cheap.”
Aranaz and Baron-Paulino have the same sentiments about POP and the vision of Retail Lab through the years.
"A lot of [brands] don't get really the opportunity to be able to set up a space in a mall, which is usually very expensive. This one… it's really a venue for them to be able to try it out and see if it's a good investment,” said Baron-Paulino.
"We have one brand, for example, that likes the idea that it's only gonna be for a short period of time... I guess it creates more of a demand for them, especially cause it only caters to a certain type of crowd,” continued Aranaz.
Part of the appeal of the concept is definitely that it will be here in passing, like a show on tour. But if the good reviews from a returning audience tell us anything, it's that the pop-up is here to stay…at least for the next five months. — BM, GMA News
Pop by Retail Lab is located in the Lifestyles area, R1 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City and will be open until December 2016.
