now have a pop up shop. All you now need is to fill it with your merchandise and maybe put a sign outside. Just before Christmas, Tokyo Bike did just that. It opened a pop up gallery for six weeks in an empty shop on Llankelly Pl just off Macleay St in Sydney’s Kings Cross. Tokyo Bike sells simple bicycles designed for city riding. With a permanent shop already located in Surry Hills, the company wanted to spread the word by trying out another city location for a short time. The store was completely designed by the company itself, proving that it is possible to create a branded environment on a budget. Pop ups are the embodiment of our short attention span culture. Here today, gone tomorrow. They can be anything from a bar or club to a shop, and they spring up in unexpected places, get people talking and disappear just before they go out of fashion. Pop ups also make commercial sense for small businesses, allowing them to try out new locations without having to commit to a long lease and expensive refit. For customers, it adds a sense of excitement to the shopping experience, and their feedback via word of mouth, Twitter or Facebook is crucial to the retailer, because there’s usually no budget to publicise these ventures. Tokyo Bike’s pop up is more like a gallery, using the raw shell of the building interior as a backdrop for the sleek bicycles. The overall effect is a classic minimalist aesthetic, which matches well with the look of the bikes. Founded in Japan eight years ago, Tokyo Bike wants to bring the urban cycling experience to Sydney. The days of lycra clad speed junkies are on their way out, as more relaxed riders take to the road. This new urban cycling is about losing yourself in the city and enjoying the ride, and is a way of switching off and escaping. The bikes are easy to ride and are pared back to the basic elements, with few or no gears. Branding Tokyo Bike’s pop up gallery is basic too, but complements this brand perfectly. Simple black and white text on the cardboard wall behind the service desk explains what the brand is about. The accessories, all brightly coloured, are laid out on cardboard plinths on the shop floor, with white sticky labels used as ticketing. The range of colours of the bikes and other products sit well against the monotone background of the cardboard and the floor and walls. It was no accident it is such a utilitarian space, as it was chosen to match the pared back, minimalist feel of the brand. Location was a key consideration. They didn’t want cars running outside their door, as it would make test riding the bikes more difficult and the alleyway position fitted well with the environment the bikes are designed for – the small back lanes of Japanese cities. Store signage is also pared back. Apart from the bikes being signposts themselves, a simple black and white A-frame sign on the pavement points to the store and two A4 sheets display the opening times on a box by the entrance. To give a sense of where these bikes originated, a series of short videos are back projected onto a fabric screen. Each video is shot in Japan showing their bikes in a number of cities where they have shops. This shop is not complicated. There are no bike racks, shelving units, cabinets or clutter. The space is all about Tokyo Bike: no other brands or promotions get in the way. This makes for an easy to operate space – there’s nowhere for the staff to hide and they can meet and greet the customers one on one around the bikes, because, really, the bikes are the most important part of the store. The environment is there as a neutral backdrop to show off the products at their best without getting in the way. This simple solution to creating a shop has been a success. In its first two weeks of business, Toko Bike’s pop up store sold 10 bikes. If you’re thinking of setting up your own pop up store or just want to improve your existing shop, here are 10 things to learn from Tokyo Bike: 1. Use anything you can get your hands on to display your merchandise, it doesn’t need to be expensive. 2. Make your space open so you can easily approach your customers. 3. Create a backdrop that doesn’t compete with your products, but instead allows them to shine. Choose neutral colours that complement what you sell. 4. Arrange your accessories by colour and give them space to breathe. 5. Keep your instore messaging to a minimum and say only what is necessary. 6. Re-use or recycle to save yourself money. The bottles ($1 a piece from Reverse Garbage http://www.reversegarbage.org.au ) added a little Japanese feel to Tokyo Bike. 7. Spend a little more on just one feature item so your space isn’t too basic. 8. If possible, tell customers about your product, put it in context, tell a story or display a video. 9. Do at least one thing that’s different to amuse or interest your customers. Tokyo Bike stuck its magnetic leaves on the ceiling with great effect. 10. Finally, show that you love your product and what you do – it’ll be infectious and your customers will want some of it too. * Rob Bryant is a graphic designer with 20 years experience. He can be contacted at www.trebordesign.com or rob@trebordesign.com. Catriona Woodgate is a visual merchandising specialist. She can be found at www.cwvm.com.au or catriona@cwvm. com.au.