New Jersey Celebrates 350 Years With Pop Up Shops

In 2014, New Jersey celebrates its 350^th Birthday.  That’s right, New Jersey is older than most states… which makes them a pretty good role model to look up to, don’t you think?

Although New Jersey is home to the world-famous Jersey Barrier, Sopranos, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, New Jersey has always been and continues to be at the cutting edge of liberty, innovation and diversity.   Edison did all his inventing there, the first football and baseball games were played there and  salt water taffy was created there, as well.  Jersey is truly so much more than the topic of late-night commentary,  as they continue to innovate, especially when it comes to the intersection of downtown revitalization and independent businesses.

As part of the year-long celebration of highlighting 350 years of New Jersey,  Main Street New Jersey created the “NJ350 Pop-Up Store” program, which includes 16 temporary stores (open 3-10 days each) in 14 communities over a 365-day period that will cover at least 1035 miles.  This first-of-its-kind statewide pop-up effort has the following goals:

• Ensure that 350 independent businesses (or more) are represented in the stores throughout the 12-month period
• Fill locally-provided vacant or non-retail space with a high-quality store in each location
• Model best practices for a small store in every location with the help of their supportive sponsors:
  • Store Fit-Out (IKEA)
  • Visual merchandising (local MSNJ programs/IKEA/Alignable)
  • Signage (storesigns.com/ITO Design/Alignable)
  • Point of Sale system (vend)
  • Social media marketing (SnapRetail/Retail Minded)
  • Merchandise mix (NJ State Museum/NJ Historical Commission)
  • Customer service (local MSNJ programs)
• Get the word out nationally!  Working with our promotional partners Independent We Stand, Be A Localist, and the American Independent Businesses Alliance, we are able to spread the word, and eventually become a best practice model for a revitalization-oriented pop-up program; and
• Get people excited about NJ turning 350 and up to speed on all that is going on around that celebration!

The store merchandise is a mix of ‘jerseyana” (things made in or representing facets of NJ), branded NJ350 merchandise (hats, shirts) and most importantly, local independent businesses’ items, which vary from community to community.

New Jersey’s great local Main Street® programs in each community –  along with other key partners – staff the stores and serve as the conduit for merchandising the stores with products and offerings from their indies.  They host micro-events such as ribbon cuttings, musical performances and book signings in each store that reflect local community character, history and culture to further attract people to come, have fun, learn, and of course… to purchase items!  One of the most effective marketing tactics has been to use short-term way-finding stickers that literally point people to the store in its respective downtown (see photo) something never before done in NJ in a district-wide setting.

16 cities will be fortunate to gain the 350 experience, and Retail Minded has a feeling many more communities and states will want to follow in their footprints!

Please follow this fantastic journey at:

Twitter: NJ350ShopLocal

Facebook: NJ350ShopLocal

Website: http://officialnj350.com/category/shop-nj350/

Photo Credit: New Jersey Creative Marketing, Courtesy of New Jersey Main Street