Landsec and Lone Design Club are launching a new pop-up micro-retail destination called Co.Lab at St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre in Cardiff.
The pop-up is designed to utilise large retail spaces and support innovative direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands.
Co.Lab, which will feature bespoke shop-in-shop concession units designed to each brand’s individual style, will occupy a 5,000 sq ft space and offer more than 80 brands the opportunity to test, experiment and grow.
In addition to larger shop-in-shop units, the pop-up will also provide smaller concession spaces and kiosks/counters at affordable rents.
Rebecca Morter, founder and CEO of Lone Design Club, said: “Having supported over 3000 brands into retail locations across the past six years at Lone Design Club, we saw the need for easier access, relevant and community-driven spaces. Opening a store is no easy feat and often we forget the marketing and community essential to its success. Co.Lab not only creates a stepping stone retail journey for the most exciting DTC brands to test and try, but it gives more – a fully fledged events programme, a sense of place and community; it gives a physical home to these brands’ digital communities” comments
Ilana Sarner, brand director at Landsec, added: “We’re excited to build on our partnership with LDC to create Co.Lab and welcome a new roster of DTC brands. This is a new way of retailing, where we bring together a community of brands to offer unique experiences to our customers. By giving these future-thinking brands a stepping stone into physical retail, we’re not only opening up an opportunity for an exciting new pipeline but also offering our guests a new point of discovery.”
