Cape Town craft producers, designers and other creative entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to showcase their products and services and test out concepts in a prime location on the corner of Long and Leeuwen Streets.
This space was formerly a hub for World Design Capital 2014, and the idea is to carry the legacy forward by offering the entire shop space to rotating tenants until December. The retail space was officially launched in its new guise on Wednesday, 22 April.
Each new tenant takes occupation of a ‘blank canvas’, and can use the store as they wish to market and test their ideas for a month.
The space is being administered by the CCDI, and falls under the Design + Cape project, which is carrying forward the World Design Capital legacy.
The first three tenants for May, June and July are Paper and Pickles, Kin Culture and Tidy & Co. The product range will vary from tenant to tenant; one month you may find the store filled with locally produced stationery or soft furnishings, and the next month it will be transformed into an ice-cream parlour selling bespoke flavours, frozen using liquid nitrogen.
“We believe the selected tenants will deliver a creative retail concept and product mix, bringing fresh energy and vibrancy to this corner,” said Gillian Benjamin, Design Strategy Programme Manager.
“We encourage the community to support local craft and follow #popuplong,” said Benjamin.
Applications were open to small business owners / entrepreneurs, retailers, makers, artists, students and educational Institutions, for a period of one to four weeks. If you are interested in applying to run the space at 150 Long Street, sign up to the Design + Cape Newsletter to see when the next round of applications opens: or contact Lianne du Toit on 021 461 1488 or lianne.dutoit@ccdi.org.za for more info.
The CCDI wishes to thank the following people and organisations for their sponsorhips and contributions to the launch event: Honest Chocolate, Rupert Anthonij Wines, Juicebox, N2ice Cream Lab, Pickle and Paper, Forefront Group, and DJ Ra Mava.
Image top: Illustrator Tatjana Buisson and former WDC2014 programme manager Jenni Kruger (now van Niekerk) enjoying the launch of the Popup Shop on Long Street.
Via CCDI CONTACT
