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The 8 Coolest Holiday Pop-Up Shops

  • The holidays are prime time for seasonal shops to emerge, especially with this year's 10% increase in retail-space availability. (Thanks, recession-induced store closings!) Here, a look at this season's best pop-up shops, as well as some gems from years past.
  • In possibly the most epic holiday pop-up shop ever, Target created a temporary holiday bazaar on a 220-foot barge in New York's Hudson river. For two weeks, the ship featured 92 holiday products--a number chosen from the classic holiday lyric “for kids from 1 to 92."
  • Kate Spade's "igloo" offers free hot chocolate to shoppers and ice-skaters in New York's Bryant Park. Regrettably, it is not built from actual ice blocks.
  • Lat year, eBay set up shop on 57th street in Manhattan to sell physical merchandise and offer computer kiosks where customers could place bids on online items. The tech titan matched all store proceeds, and donated the sum to more than 10 national charities, including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and UNICEF.
  • The Temporium is a touring pop-up shop that started its journey with a holiday shop in London’s Brompton Design District. Set up by online design magazine Dezeen, the two-floor shop hosts merchandise from leading U.K. designers for 10 days before moving on.
  • Not so much a shop but definitely an innovative holiday pop-up: Bank of America’s Gift Box, which took up residence in Manhattan for 10 days during the 2007 season, offered free gift wrapping, hot chocolate, a childrens' play area, and public restrooms--all to publicize the premiere of the BankAmericard.
  • Los Angelinos in search of cheap gifts can buy them pre-wrapped and for under $99 at Tweak 99. They're are also encouraged to use the craft station to make holiday cards. Bonus: Special deals are hidden in QR codes throughout the store.
  • Open in New York through January 2, this eco-friendly shop--sponsored by Gap and design blog Cool Hunting--focuses on rustic craftsmanship from New York-based designers.
  • Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store is taking over a Manhattan space three times the size of its permanent Brooklyn outpost for one month this season. If sales go well, it's possible a permanent post could pop up in the future.
  • 01 /09 The holidays are prime time for seasonal shops to emerge, especially with this year's 10% increase in retail-space availability. (Thanks, recession-induced store closings!) Here, a look at this season's best pop-up shops, as well as some gems from years past.
  • 02 /09 | Target Holiday Boat (2002) In possibly the most epic holiday pop-up shop ever, Target created a temporary holiday bazaar on a 220-foot barge in New York's Hudson river. For two weeks, the ship featured 92 holiday products--a number chosen from the classic holiday lyric “for kids from 1 to 92."
  • 03 /09 | Kate Spade Igloo (2010) Kate Spade's "igloo" offers free hot chocolate to shoppers and ice-skaters in New York's Bryant Park. Regrettably, it is not built from actual ice blocks.
  • 04 /09 | eBay New York Pop-Up (2009) Lat year, eBay set up shop on 57th street in Manhattan to sell physical merchandise and offer computer kiosks where customers could place bids on online items. The tech titan matched all store proceeds, and donated the sum to more than 10 national charities, including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and UNICEF.
  • 05 /09 | The Temporium (2010) The Temporium is a touring pop-up shop that started its journey with a holiday shop in London’s Brompton Design District. Set up by online design magazine Dezeen, the two-floor shop hosts merchandise from leading U.K. designers for 10 days before moving on.
  • 06 /09 | Bank of America Gift Box (2007) Not so much a shop but definitely an innovative holiday pop-up: Bank of America’s Gift Box, which took up residence in Manhattan for 10 days during the 2007 season, offered free gift wrapping, hot chocolate, a childrens' play area, and public restrooms--all to publicize the premiere of the BankAmericard.
  • 07 /09 | Tweak 99 (2010) Los Angelinos in search of cheap gifts can buy them pre-wrapped and for under $99 at Tweak 99. They're are also encouraged to use the craft station to make holiday cards. Bonus: Special deals are hidden in QR codes throughout the store.
  • 08 /09 | Cool Hunting for Gap (2010) Open in New York through January 2, this eco-friendly shop--sponsored by Gap and design blog Cool Hunting--focuses on rustic craftsmanship from New York-based designers.
  • 09 /09 | Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store Pop Up (2010) Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store is taking over a Manhattan space three times the size of its permanent Brooklyn outpost for one month this season. If sales go well, it's possible a permanent post could pop up in the future.
Suzy Evans 12.15.10 11:43 AM

The holidays are prime time for seasonal shops to emerge, especially with this year's 10% increase in retail-space availability. (Thanks, recession-induced store closings!) Here, a look at this season's best pop-up shops, as well as some gems from years past.

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