Landsec and LDC launch pop-up space at St David’s Cardiff
Landsec and Lone Design Club (LDC) are set to launch a new pop-up destination at St David’s Dewi Sant, Cardiff, in a bid to support innovative direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands.
Opening in September, CO.LAB will offer over 80 brands the opportunity to trial the performance of their business in a retail environment.
The 5,000 sq ft space will feature shop-in-shop concession units designed to each brand’s individual style, a shared event space, and a community-focused model designed to support the physical retail presence of emerging brands.
Market research has found that there is a substantial demand from DTC brands for agile retail, with almost a third (32%) of brands on Shopify planning to establish or expand their pop-up presence in 2024.
CO.LAB looks to lower the barriers to physical retail by offering shop-in-shop units, smaller concession spaces, and kiosk or counter units to DTC brands. It is hoped that this setup will allow brands to showcase their products in environments specific to their identities.
The units will also be fully tech-integrated, providing the ability to track digital engagement, sales, and web traffic. This is designed to allow brands to see how effectively the pop-up is expanding their presence and attracting new customers.
Lone Design Club’s founder and CEO, Rebecca Morter, said: “Having supported over 3000 brands into retail locations across the past six years at Lone Design Club, we saw the need for easier access, relevant and community-driven spaces. Opening a store is no easy feat, and often, we forget the marketing and community essential to its success. CO.LAB not only creates a stepping stone retail journey for the most exciting DTC brands to test and try, but it gives more – a fully fledged events programme, a sense of place and community; it gives a physical home to these brands’ digital communities.”
Ilana Sarner, Landsec brand director, added: “We’re excited to build on our partnership with LDC to create CO.LAB and welcome a new roster of DTC brands. This is a new way of retailing, where we bring together a community of brands to offer unique experiences to our customers. By giving these future-thinking brands a stepping stone into physical retail, we’re not only opening up an opportunity for an exciting new pipeline but also offering our guests a new point of discovery.”