Our First Pop-Up Shop Experience

This past Saturday, February 1st, we were lucky enough to have a vendor table at Kennedy Dance Theatre's Kennedy and Co. Show! It was a wonderful experience not only being able to witness such impressive young talent but also learning how we can improve to better serve our customers in the future.

Preparing

Is there one RIGHT way to set up a pop-up shop? Don't ask us, we had never done it before! HA! 

When thinking about setup, we wanted to make sure our ideals and strengths still translated to a temporary location. Sure, we couldn't rip the mirror and barre off of the wall, we couldn't transport our changing room, and we couldn't bring our entire Pointe Shoe collection. But what we could do is still bring the same energy, focus, and commitment we have to serving our customers! On top of that, thanks to us being comfortable with Kennedy Dance Theatre and their amazing students, we had a little bit of an idea of what products to highlight. Though we couldn't size for students on site, we made sure to bring a couple of samples of our high-quality Freed Studio Standard Shank Pointe Shoes. We also wanted to show off our beautiful leotards from Class In, which certainly caught the eye. Along with those, we planned to bring soft shoes and sneakers, as well as some undergarments and accessories.

Shopping and What We Learned

The doors opened early, allowing guests to come into the high school and wait in line for the best seats. Man, these parents are dedicated! The first group was there almost two hours before show time. Luckily, we were already set up and ready to go, allowing guests to peruse our selection before the curtain lifted. Once it dropped again, the guests were welcomed back for intermission to look again. This certainly worked, as a few guests couldn't help but grab some of our amazing accessories. Maybe they saw our Apollo Dancewear bags or talked to other parents! We also stayed open for a few minutes after the show to answer any questions and say our goodbyes. Thank you to everyone who came and supported us!

Having a lot of our smaller, "cuter" objects there certainly was a good choice. People seemed to be drawn to our keychain rings, foot spray and rosin, and other things like turning boards. These items draw attention to a larger portion of people than a leotard or shoes may. Not everybody needs a new leotard or pointe shoes right now, but an incredible accessory you've never seen before, now there's always a time for that! It was still great to bring the products we did, even just to let people see how much we have going on over here at Apollo Dancewear!

Future Pop-Ups

After collecting such valuable feedback, we are excited to continue to grow not only our storefront and online viability, but also our pop-up shop as an extension of our store! If you or someone you know is interested in having us at one of your dance performances, let us know! We would be happy to cater specifically to you or your school's needs.

As we continue to grow, please be aware that the best place to keep up with us is on our social media. You can find us on Instagram at apollo_dancewear and on Facebook by searching "Apollo Dancewear". On our social media, you can find updates about special deals, new products, and when we may set up a pop-up shop in a location near you! Also be on the lookout for more blog posts--whether it's about Houston Dance History, special Pointe Shoe techniques, or to let you know about a party, these may become more frequent.

We love our customers! Getting to see and hear from you this weekend was a treat. Thank you once again from Apollo Dancewear!