The SeeMore Shopping Chicago pop-up
Photo: BizBash
It sounds like a reality-TV episode, but SeeMore Shopping Chicago founder Liz Engquist transformed a former U.S. Cellular store in a Loop office- building lobby into a high-end fashion boutique in only two weeks. Her company, which promotes Chicago shopping through a Web site, events, and tours, had done short-term projects before, most notably a two-week pop-up boutique in a former Express store in Water Tower Place. But Engquist immediately realized this was a different proposition. "If you look temporary, you'll be treated as temporary," she said.
While she rented ruby-red couches, cocktail tables, and holiday decor for the Water Tower project, Engquist bought all of the fixtures for this three-month-long pop-up boutique and installed them herself. "Luckily, my partner is like MacGyver," she said, referring to her business's co-owner, Jerry Roman, who also owns Rome & Company, a Chicago ad agency.The 600-square-foot space was pretty bare, aside from lighting, so Engquist set out on a quest to find clothing racks, shelving, and a retail counter that would accommodate her array of merchandise and complement the building's modern feel. She settled on black and silver fixtures and glass shelves, and she built her own dressing room, which takes up minimal space in the boutique's corner. "That was my biggest challenge," Engquist said, referring to fixtures that fit her space and budget. "It took research and lots of running around, but it was fun."
Featuring clothing, jewelry, accessories, and gift items from Chicago designers and stores, the SeeMore Shopping boutique opened the last week of January and continues through April. To find her store's vendors, she approached designers and store owners she had worked with previously, who were excited about the boutique's upscale, foot-traffic-friendly location. "About 95 percent of the merchandise here comes from vendors I had worked with before," Engquist said. Once the store was up and running, Engquist sent out press releases and received coverage from the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago magazine, and Metromix.
While she rented ruby-red couches, cocktail tables, and holiday decor for the Water Tower project, Engquist bought all of the fixtures for this three-month-long pop-up boutique and installed them herself. "Luckily, my partner is like MacGyver," she said, referring to her business's co-owner, Jerry Roman, who also owns Rome & Company, a Chicago ad agency.The 600-square-foot space was pretty bare, aside from lighting, so Engquist set out on a quest to find clothing racks, shelving, and a retail counter that would accommodate her array of merchandise and complement the building's modern feel. She settled on black and silver fixtures and glass shelves, and she built her own dressing room, which takes up minimal space in the boutique's corner. "That was my biggest challenge," Engquist said, referring to fixtures that fit her space and budget. "It took research and lots of running around, but it was fun."
Featuring clothing, jewelry, accessories, and gift items from Chicago designers and stores, the SeeMore Shopping boutique opened the last week of January and continues through April. To find her store's vendors, she approached designers and store owners she had worked with previously, who were excited about the boutique's upscale, foot-traffic-friendly location. "About 95 percent of the merchandise here comes from vendors I had worked with before," Engquist said. Once the store was up and running, Engquist sent out press releases and received coverage from the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago magazine, and Metromix.
