Pop-ups go wrong in boring ways. Not because the idea was bad, but because the freight elevator was booked, the certificate of insurance named the wrong landlord, or the vinyl came in two inches short. Here’s the list we work from.
Space and paperwork
- License or lease signed, with exact access dates for load-in and strike, not just the run.
- The venue’s rules in writing: hours, noise, what can touch the walls and floor, dumpsters.
- Certificates of insurance for every vendor, naming the venue and landlord exactly as they ask.
- Permits identified: signage, occupancy, sidewalk use, temporary structures, anything electrical.
- A floor plan with real dimensions, ceiling heights, columns, outlets and sprinkler heads.
- Building contacts: super, security, loading dock — names and cell numbers.
Design that can be built
- Design locked: layout, materials, finishes and the hero moment.
- Design intent written down, so value engineering doesn’t quietly remove the point of it.
- Accessibility: clear paths, counter heights, ramps where there are steps.
- Fire rating for materials, especially fabric, foam and anything hanging.
- Weights and how it goes together: does every piece fit through the door and up the elevator?
- Merchandising plan: how many SKUs, how they’re displayed, where backstock lives.
Vendors and fabrication
- Two or more comparable bids for each major package.
- One owner for every package, with no gaps between them (who installs the vinyl the print shop made?).
- Contracts and deposits done, with fabrication dates in writing.
- Shop drawings approved by one named decision-maker.
- A shop visit at one third and two thirds through fabrication.
- Graphics files final, at size, with bleed; proofs approved on the real material.
- Pre-build or test fit in the shop for anything complicated.
- Everything photographed and labeled before it ships.
Power, data and services
- Power map from the venue: which circuits, how many amps, where they land. The event power calculator tells you how many you need, and when house power won’t cover it.
- An electrician lined up for anything beyond plug-and-play.
- Wi-Fi and a backup (a hotspot) for registers and anything that streams.
- HVAC: will the space be comfortable at full capacity, in that season?
- Restrooms, water, and a staff area.
- Trash and recycling during the run, not just at strike.
Logistics and load-in
- Freight booked with delivery windows the building has agreed to.
- Freight elevator and loading dock reserved, with backup times.
- Load-in schedule by the hour, by trade: who’s in the space when.
- Tools, hardware, touch-up paint and spare graphics on site.
- A punch list walked every evening of load-in.
- Photography booked for the finished space before doors open.
Opening, running and strike
- Staff trained on the experience, the product and what to do when something breaks.
- A maintenance kit and a vendor on call for repairs during the run.
- Daily open and close checklists.
- A plan for crowds: lines, capacity, security.
- Strike date and hours confirmed with the building.
- What’s kept, stored, donated or recycled — decided before strike, not during it.
- The space returned the way the lease requires, with photos to prove it.
- A wrap: what worked, what it cost, what to change next time.
Need the dates for all of this? Put your opening day into the activation timeline planner.
Questions
What do you need to open a pop-up shop?
A signed license or lease for the space, the venue’s rules and insurance requirements, any permits your city needs (signage, occupancy, sidewalk use), a locked design, fabrication and graphics, power and Wi-Fi, a load-in plan, trained staff, and a strike plan for when it closes.
Who is responsible for building a pop-up shop?
Usually a mix: a designer or agency designs it, one or more fabrication shops build it, and print, lighting, AV and furniture vendors supply the rest. A production manager like Fieldette runs all of them as one project, so somebody owns the schedule, the budget and the result.