Third Holiday Popup Week starting this Thursday
Pop Up shops will return once again to the historic Courthouse Square in Linden. The Linden Main Street program is organizing its third holiday Pop Up event, set to start off with a bang on December 5th - the same night as the Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas on the Square festival and parade, as well as Lindenites’ new favorite tradition, the tree-lighting ceremony on the courthouse lawn – and running through December 7th.
Locals and visitors who have attended Pop Up Week in the past two years will see some familiar vendors mixed with first-time participants. Community Development Director, Allie Anderson, notes “at this point, after having done this two times before, we’ve got a great mixing of old-guard shops who know the ropes with new shops who are ready to give a pop-up event a shot. It becomes a great opportunity for seasoned participants to help out newer folks. Our shop owners really build a great network with each other and with some of our permanent businesses in the downtown, which helps later when they decide to open their own permanent locations.”
City Administrator, Bob Swisher, adds “We’ve had great groups of vendors the last couple of years and that makes people want to come downtown and see what’s going on and catch up with their neighbors. It’s an event the whole community takes part in and that’s something we’re proud of. And it helps our downtown businesses, too. It’s a win-win.”
Some of Pop Up Week’s best success stories are brick-and-mortar businesses in the Linden Main Street district. Dark Horse Coffee, The Gingerbread House bakery, and Elegant Etchings & Etc. boutique all participated as pop-up shops in 2017 and, in opening permanent locations downtown, have played a major role in the revitalization the district is experiencing. “Communities across the country are focusing on bringing their historic downtowns back to their former glory and are investing city time and money into them, which is great, but it still always comes down to the entrepreneurs in the community. When you have individuals and families brave enough to take that chance on a downtown that is just starting to turn things around, you’re going to grow leaps and bounds and you’re going to see stronger, more sustainable growth. Small investments in each building and each business add up to a much stronger, long-term revitalization,” Anderson states.
The event is sponsored by the Linden Main Street Program. Businesses will be set up in Linden’s historic downtown square Thursday, December 5 – Saturday, December 7, 2019, 5:00 – 9:00 PM.
Anderson has confirmed that “This year’s lineup includes hand-tooled leathercraft, and homemade soap and candle shop, a local printing company, a candy shop, auction clearance house, and handmade holiday art and craft pieces from local artists.”
Main Street is a volunteer-driven downtown revitalization program that uses historic preservation as a tool for economic development in communities across the country. This is Linden Main Street’s third year hosting Pop Up Week. Pop Up Week is a business development event, during which entrepreneurs open temporary shops in vacant buildings in Linden’s downtown district.