There’s something special about pop-up shops—from the community vibe to discovering new local businesses
But what if you could experience a pop-up featuring sustainable brands? That's where new, local pop-up shop, Warehouse, comes in.
Their goal? To allow local, eco-conscious brands who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford a retail space a chance to share their products with the community, while also letting shoppers enjoy a friendly in-person shopping experience.
The cozy space is located in Chilliwack's Central Village, an up-and-coming neighbourhood filled with boutiques and shops owned by local business owners.
Dylaina Gollub"Friends of ours had a leased space in [Downtown Chilliwack’s Central Village] that was sitting empty," says co-founder and Jam PR principal Ada Slivinksi, "At the same time, several clients of ours at Jam PR were looking to do some sort of physical activation or pop-up, but shouldering the cost of a location and staffing themselves during these uncertain times was a barrier."
Slivinski and co-founder Kati Moore met recently and worked together, and sparks flew. "We hit it off immediately and knew we wanted to do more together," says Moore, "When Ada presented the bones of the concept to me, I told her I trusted her 100 percent and was all in." Three weeks later, Slivinski and her husband freshened up the space, solidified the branding and secured 14 local, ethical, and sustainable brands to participate.
When it came to choosing brands, Moore and Slivinski started with their own favourites and eventually branched out to small, local, sustainable and women-led businesses. "It wasn’t a formal checklist that we started with, but those will certainly be the litmus test for brands moving forward," Slivinski adds.
Participating brands include skincare, home decor and linens, fashion and more, each with a sustainable approach. Even the stickers and packaging you get when you make a purchase are made with recyclable, eco-conscious materials.
Dylaina GollubAlong with featuring local brands, the shop also hosts community events, meet-the-maker drop-ins and media showings. The next iteration of Warehouse will be in Christmas, and brands interested in participating have until mid to late October to apply for the holiday slot.