Getting Ready for Launch: An Update on Retail Ready People’s Pop-Up Shops
Our second set of pop-up shops will be opening to the public imminently. The RRP Leeds and RRP Rochdale stores will be open from May 11 until June 9. These shops are run by teams of volunteers aged 16-25, who have received retail training and support from Vinspired in partnership with Retail Trust.
The Mentors
In the past month, volunteers gained in-depth training from established retailers including JD Sports, Hotel Chocolat, Swarovski, Disney, and Dixons. This included a visit to Swarovski’s flagship store on Oxford Street, where they learned about competing as traders on London’s busiest high street.
Inspiration for the volunteers came from their mentor, who secured the position of Assistant Manager at a young age. He provided a detailed presentation covering customer service, sales techniques, visual merchandising, and store management—emphasizing the importance of understanding market, customers, and competitors.
Emily from RRP Leeds shared her experience, saying, “It was fantastic! Not only was it an inspirational talk, but I got to go on the underground for the first time!”
To learn more about Emily and other volunteers’ experiences, visit the blogs from RRP Leeds and RRP Rochdale.
Training and Skills
The store visits are part of a larger training initiative, offering young volunteers the opportunity to experience retail from a position of responsibility. They ensure smooth business operations, focusing on their talents and abilities in leadership, customer care, marketing, creative design, and product management.
As launch day approaches, we will see how the volunteers apply these invaluable skills to create a successful retail business.
What to Expect
RRP Rochdale
The Rochdale shop will serve as a creative space, featuring products like t-shirts, tea towels, and tote bags designed by local artists, which can be customized using DIY craft kits. They will also host workshops and artist tutorials, encouraging customer creativity.
Support RRP Rochdale by visiting their Facebook page and following @RRPRochdale on Twitter.
RRP Leeds
The Leeds shop promises a unique retail experience with a social space, including an ‘in-shop living room’ for customers to enjoy tea and coffee. They will offer quirky homeware, prints by local artists, and gifts designed by volunteers. The shop will host events showcasing Leeds’ talents, featuring live musicians and creative designers.
Support RRP Leeds by visiting their Facebook page and following @RRPLeeds on Twitter.
For more information about Retail Ready People, visit vinspired.com/retailreadypeople.
Retail Ready People is delivered by Vinspired in partnership with Retail Trust and supported by Dan Thompson, founder of the Empty Shops Network and author of Pop-up Business for Dummies.