Images: Lani Tons For Ticara Devone
The Pop Up will soon become your favorite traveling boutique. I personally got acquainted with The Pop-Up during the beginning of the pandemic this year. After an amazing All Star Weekend, the Pop-Up owners, Kevin and Molly have been able to pivit their business while staying true to their roots. They've created the Pop Up TV where they interviewed creatives around the country while dropping some amazing merchandise for sell during each show. I had the opportunity to be apart of one of their lives and also recently their live sponsored by Ciroc.
Now, their currently taking up a small space at The Hoxton in the West Loop and the offerings are not short of amazing. Inside you'll find rare sneakers, LV cases, an amazing vintage tee selection and even an art installation. I stopped in to check out what they had to offer while also getting to know more about The Pop-Up, its beginnings and more.
“WE GO OUT OF OUR WAY TO ELIMINATE ELITISM AND GATEKEEPING THAT MAKES CERTAIN SHOPS INACCESSIBLE.”
ON THEIR WHY FOR CREATING THE POP UP
That’s a massive question! The short answer is: To literally build a business that allows us to work and travel with our homies. Also, to hopefully build wealth doing what we actually love vs. what our college degrees permit us to do. Moreover, it has never been possible for me to walk into a work setting as my true self without feeling the need to give up pieces of who I am to either fit in or have a sustained career trajectory. Based on that, I accepted the fact I could not achieve this without creating a business of my own and establishing our own platform.
AND WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL
Because it doesn’t have to be one specific thing for one specific type of person. We go out of our way to eliminate elitism and gatekeeping that makes certain shops inaccessible. It’s a scrappy/small black owned and woman led business in a space that has an obvious equity imbalance
ON BALANCING WORK AKA THE POP UP + LIFE
I think life has been easier to balance your passion and business when they are one in the same. 2020 has definitely proved that for me. It isn’t easy, but everything that’s worth actually having in this life requires hard work, dedication and sacrifice. Fortunately, we have an incredible group of friends and family around us that makes things a lot easier.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE THAT YOU’VE SOLD IN THE STORE?
Last year we were setup in Iowa City and we had a guest drive about 2hrs to see and buy a pair of Fear of God 1’s. He had only seen them online before that. Seeing the amount of joy that he had in acquiring those sneakers was more satisfying than the actual transaction.
FAVORITE THING THAT YOU’VE COPPED THIS YEAR?
A navy pair of Namanica shorts I wore almost every day this past summer, a backup pair of white Acronym AF1's and a Medicom Bear Lamp.
“TO KEEP IT 100 SEEING YOUR IDEAS ACTUALLY MATERIALIZE IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE.”
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE EXPERIENCE THUS FAR? ANY STAND OUT STORIES?
- Talking about the Air Max 1, MJ and altruism at length with Tinker Hatfield in our shop. As a purveyor of sneakers, having a chance to casually hangout with such an iconic figure was surreal. At the end of the chat he was gracious enough to sign a pair of Air Jordan 3’s. I don’t typically get star struck but it was Tinker!
- Recently Nicky Diamonds of Diamond Supply Co. stumbled upon our shop. Again, this is another person who is a pioneer in this subculture. What made this experience so memorable was that he found what he described as “his grail” in our store. To make it better, we had a pair of Diamonds/Tiffany’s that he actually designed which he also signed. That stuff aside, the discussion we had about that early 2000’s era of sneaker culture was pretty awesome and nostalgic.
- For context, I have a brother who I’m very close to and we grew up listening to a significant amount of southern rap music. So, when Bun B of U.G.K. came in the shop it was literally one of my heroes asking for what I had in a size 11. We chopped it up about 90’s rap and sneakers. R.I.P. Chad Pimp C Butler
IF YOU COULD DROP A GEM ON YOUR YOUNGER SELF WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
“Don’t sell anything!!!”
“Follow your own path, and not the one others think you should.”
“Listen less and lead more.”
“Seriously, don’t sell anything.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE POP UP HEADING INTO 2021
I’d like to see us do something internationally. That was my goal for 2020 but COVID-19 had different plans.
Be sure to visit The Pop-Up, currently at The Hoxton hotel in the West Loop and connect with them on social media.
The Pop-Up
208 N. Green Street
Chicago, IL
Store Hours
Sunday & Monday
12 pm - 5 pm
Tuesday - Saturday
12 pm - 7pm