Pop-Up Retail Coming To Downtown Westborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Westborough is partnering with a local business group and a company that specializes in pop-up retail spaces to activate empty storefronts in the downtown area.

The partnership between UpNext, the 495/MetroWest Partnership and the town will offer temporary, discounted empty retail space to fledging businesses. The first pop-up will happen in the coming weeks in a vacant slot at the 57 East Main St. plaza.

Here's more from a town news release:

The Westborough Economic Development Committee (EDC) is pleased to announce that the Town of Westborough has partnered with UpNext and the 495/MetroWest Partnership to launch Project: Pop Up in downtown Westborough.

First launched in 2021, Project: Pop Up is an initiative created by our partners at UpNext to help revitalize town centers and commercial hubs still emerging from the economic effects of the COVID-19. Through this initiative, UpNext partners with municipalities to activate empty storefronts as temporary, pop-up incubators for emerging entrepreneurs seeking to test their concepts in brick and mortar retail.

By offering premium space at a discounted rate to brands that want to experiment and expand their concepts, as well as providing those businesses with the resources needed to seed their success, Project: Pop Up facilitates local entrepreneurship and innovation. Additionally, pop-up storefronts help attract new patrons to existing businesses near the host storefront.

UpNext has already piloted Project: Pop Up in several Greater Boston communities, including Newton, Needham, Melrose, Wellesley, Brookline, Burlington, Gloucester, and Lexington, with much success. At the end of its first year, Project: Pop Up saw 93% of its brands either extend their pop-up term or open in another area immediately following their Project: Pop Up run. It also saw 53% of its brands convert from a pop-up to permanent tenancy in their host storefront or a neighboring space. We are thrilled to bring this great program to downtown Westborough.

Beginning in late April or early May, the EDC will activate 57 East Main Street, Unit 129, with an incubator space to host emerging pop-up brands for three months. The space is 1,220 square feet with great visibility. Applications are live and are currently being accepted on a rolling-basis. We are seeking retailers, artists, makers, and other entrepreneurs eager to test their concepts in brick and mortar retail. Selected brands will have the opportunity to test brick and mortar retail at a subsidized rate, and be provided with access to a suite of resources to help seed their success. Interested parties can learn more and apply for pop-up tenancy here.

This project is being funded by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development REDO grant program as part of the state’s efforts to accelerate economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 495/MetroWest Partnership has played a critical role in securing grant funding for this project. Additionally, Jin Huang, the property owner at 57 East Main Street, has provided critical support and collaboration on the project.