Win a free pop-up shop space in Limerick city for six months
YOU CAN win a free pop-up shop in Limerick city for the summer, as a retail unit on Roches Street is being transformed into a neighbourhood lifestyle pop-up store.
Existing retailers looking to upgrade, sole traders or new small businesses considering taking the next step and taking to the shop floor are welcome to enter a competition, which will give them this opportunity to trade for six months.
Launched by Champion Green this week, the prize is worth over €30,000, to include rent as well as marketing supports from An Post and Champion Green.
The shopping destination will showcase up to five local fledgling businesses, invited to trade there from the beginning of June or July until the end of the year.
Welcoming the boost to local small businesses, Cecilia Larkin, Senior Executive Officer at Limerick City and County Council, says the step-up from creating a great product to actually investing in your own retail premises can be a daunting and challenging move.
Ms Larkin said: “The Limerick pop-up is a super risk-free opportunity for anyone looking to test the retail market, or to expand into a city centre retail space to capitalise on the busy summer trade.
“The city has a vibrant retail scene already, and adding new talent and creatives into the mix via this Champion Green initiative will give shoppers even more reason to head into town now.”
Champion Green is a national movement by government, industry, business, and the public, to inspire people to support local, to do business locally, and to source local products and services.
The six-month pop-up shop on Roches Street has been provided by the Limerick native and property landlord, Ann Clogan.
As a third-generation family in retail in Limerick, Ann Clogan says it is “satisfying” to see other business people set out on the path to success: “Retail is the life-blood of cities and communities, and while it is a challenging sector to work in, serving customers in person and bringing them great brands and products to choose from, is always satisfying.
“I would encourage anyone with their own small business to enter the Champion Green competition and, hopefully, take their own leap into retail in Limerick.”
The shared 75sqm pop-up shop will also have free parcel-sending for one year within Ireland from An Post Commerce, to support online retailing. The Limerick Pop-Up will also benefit from a free direct mail campaign with a combined An Post prize valued at €10,000.
“We are proud to encourage local online and instore retail with our range of parcel solutions and affordable direct-mail marketing, right to shoppers' front doors,” Julie Gill, Commercial Marketing Director at An Post, said at the Limerick Pop-Up competition launch.
A video or worded submission on the business proposition is required, with applications closing at midnight on Monday April 10.
Up to 10 shortlisted finalists will attend an in-person interview or zoom video call with the judging panel, taking place in mid-April.