Popups and soft launches
Watch this space
Popups and Soft Launches are two very different things with one common trait: they don’t last long. Popups are stores, cafés, bars, or anything else that rent a space for a short period of time before they close down and are gone (mostly for good). They are usually themed, and offer something strange or unique. After all, without the pressure to make sure that they stay open, they can get away with being more eccentric. Soft Launches, on the other hand, are what happens when a new restaurant opens. While they are still getting ready and in the first few weeks from their opening, many restaurants will offer their food at half the price, to build customers and buzz.
So how do you find these places? How on earth can you know when a place you’ve never heard of just opened? There are many tricks to the trade. You might get a flyer on the street advertising one. You might hear from a friend. If you’re keen on searching them out, however, I find the best place to do this is on Twitter. There you can find many accounts dedicated solely to either event. Hashtags are another good way to search, and, of course, Facebook events. You’d be surprised what you could find if you just looked at events in your area (providing you live in London, or search when you’re there).
Being in the know for pop ups and soft launches is like being the guru for all things cool. Your friends will love you for taking you to the coolest places that either won’t last long or are half-off. Personally, of the two, I much prefer soft launches. The food that is usually out of my “I’m not comfortable paying this” frame of mind is priced just right. The food I’ve had while at soft launches, by the way, was incredible.
