Scotland sits at an exciting cross-roads. As the debate about independence continues, Scotland is in a strong position no matter which path it takes. Entrepreneurship and invention is embedded in the Scottish psyche which is one the reasons Sook are delighted to be launching a pop-up rental space at St James Quarter, Edinburgh.
The future of physical retail space in Scotland
Scotland has an availability of skilled talent and a strong structure of support for business growth. In spite of this, just like the rest of the UK, Scotland’s physical retail is under more pressure than it has experienced since the Second World War.
Given that there has never been more Scottish retail online, it seems crazy that physical spaces are struggling so much. The halo effect of physical space is well documented as driving 100% more online sales in the catchment area of that space. Traditional retailers still see physical space as their number one customer acquisition tool, which is why they aren’t all leaving the high street to become online only, in spite of the obvious cost savings.
Why you should consider renting pop-up space in Scotland
Although online retail is going to continue to grow, it still has major limitations and, in some cases, is a vastly inferior experience to the physical retail experience. The other problem of course is that, whilst online can streamline your costs, it is very expensive and challenging to engage with your customers through exclusively online channels. As such, except for the few success stories, most retailers still need a deeper form of engagement with customers IRL. Renting a pop-up shop can help bridge the gap between online and offline customer engagement, helping build brand affinity and deliver truly unique experiences.
Where can you host a pop-up shop in Scotland?
Sook is the new physical platform to allow Scottish businesses to affordably engage with their customers offline at the right time. There is no point running an expensive shop if your audience isn’t there. With Sook’s hourly shared rental model, businesses pay only for the hours that they use and have the flexibility built in, so that brands can tailor their offer based on analytical insights that the use of the space generates.
Sook advocates lateral occupancy, as opposed to the expensive and inefficient pop-up models that currently exist in the market, which means occupiers can have a regular slot each week and familiarise customers with when they are going to be available. Sook can be a gym in the morning, a retail bank at lunchtime, a shop in the afternoon and an event space in the evenings.
Sharing a shop provides enormous savings for occupiers whilst still giving landlords sustainable income. Sook’s St James Quarter pop-up space in Edinburgh is a showcase for everything that is bright within the Scottish economy and a home for community, activity and educational groups who previously would have struggled to access physical space.
