Drawing power of the pop-up

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This article was published 10/03/2025 (254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How many people will flock downtown for $10 clothing? Thousands, by early numbers.

Roughly 8,000 shoppers trekked to the RBC Convention Centre on Sunday to peruse racks laden with discounted clothes. It was the first day of Pop-Up Giant’s weeklong warehouse sale in Winnipeg — and the latest in a growing number of such events.

A line of customers snaked through the event centre Sunday. A 90-minute or longer wait to get in wasn’t uncommon, per a couple attendees’ experiences.

“Every other shop is expensive,” said Deepthi Justin.

She wheeled a cart around the temporary store Monday, scouting for shoes. There wasn’t a lineup to enter then. Still, more than 100 people were browsing the space before noon.

Justin dropped five pairs of shoes in her cart. Each were a maximum $10; the fuzzy green slippers were $4.

“I just started now, so maybe I can find a lot more,” she said with a laugh.

The $10-or-less racks extended across two halls, totalling some 62,000 square feet. Children’s and adult clothes merged, encompassing a hodgepodge of brands — Cat & Jack, Carter’s, Fruit of the Loom and so on.

Pop-Up Giant holds warehouse sales throughout Canada. Its recent downtown arrival marks its first time in Winnipeg.

It’s not the first pop-up shop to enter the RBC Convention Centre, but it’s the largest and most attractive thus far, noted centre director of sales and business development David Chizda.

He labelled the event “affordable” for everyone.

“I think any event that brings thousands of people downtown is a win-win,” Chizda said, adding he’s seen customers pivot to Cityplace after shopping.

The RBC Convention Centre started booking pop-up sales two years ago, by Chizda’s recollection. Adidas and Canada Goose products were on display during past events.

Chizda anticipates more temporary stores in the future. They’re last-minute bookings, he explained: “It’s a nice filler piece of business for us.”

Consumer-focused pop-up sales are likely on the rise due to social media, said Sijie Sun. The University of Manitoba marketing professor underscored how fast word travels online.

“Previous times, there was no such information,” Sun said. “We had to rely on catalogues or mail to get that information.”

Several shoppers Monday said they’d learned about the sale on social media.

Often, events like Pop-Up Giant’s offer low prices or limited products, Sun noted. Customers must make quick decisions because there’s a deadline to beat.

Inflation and rising prices in recent years has likely heightened the urge to deal hunt, Sun added. Even so, pop-up sales do well because people are curious, said Divya Ramachandran, another University of Manitoba marketing professor.

“Everybody loves a deal,” she stated. “But you also don’t want to buy stuff and just have it be money down the drain.”

The quality must be good to earn sales, she underscored.

“Getting foot traffic into an event like this is half the battle,” Ramachandran said. “The other half is getting people who are browsing … to make purchases.”

Turnout from Pop-Up Giant’s first Winnipeg sale, which ends March 17, may determine whether the company returns, Ramachandran said. A Pop-Up Giant representative wasn’t available by print deadline Monday.

Many of the brands displayed at the temporary shop were American. A similar event promoting Canadian pieces would likely do well given the “Shop Canadian” movement unfurling across the country, Ramachandran said.

Pop-Up Giant is advertising a branded clothing sale in Toronto later this month.

U.S.-based Capital One projected the market value of pop-up shops will exceed US$95 billion by 2025. The sector generates up to US$80 billion, per a May 2024 report.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com