LaSalle Economic Development Director Curt Bedei says the pop-up shop concept should be an integral part of any community’s downtown development plan. The city wants to add more businesses downtown. Bedei says a pop-up shops are smaller businesses that aren’t open for very long. They’re seen at festivals or city events and sell things like woman’s clothing, make up, or food.
They also can either help other businesses or they can find out if they have a customer base in the city. Bedei says the pop-ups can work with another business is town or they could use vacant building space the city is trying to market. He says there has been interest from some businesses.
The University of Illinois Extension Office and the city’s Economic Development Office are hosting a special presentation called “The Power of Pop-up Shops.” It’s to tell small business owners or people wanting to start a small business how they can use a pop-up shop model to grow a business. It’s at Eureka Savings Bank in LaSalle on Tuesday, April 25 starting at 5:30.