Blooming on the High Street
When Elena Poliviou and her fiancée George Papp-Georgiou decided to set up their florist and floral design business Blooming Wild together in November 2018, they knew they wanted to do things differently. Previously Elena, who has worked in the floristry world for ten years, ran her business in one fixed location in North London and had been subject to hefty business rates and long-term rental leases.
As a start-up, and conscious of costs and the need for flexibility in the early stages, the couple decided to look for their first pop-up shop in Central London instead, with the option to open up further pop-up shops across the capital once the business grew. They searched online around for marketplaces specializing in short-term retail and landed in London’s Mayfair, powered by Storefront.
“By far Storefront was the most proactive and responsive to our request for the right rental space. It wasn’t just the speed to meet our requirements. What differentiated Storefront, is that they ‘got our vision’ for our business. When Storefront told us that a staircase in Mayfair was available at a reasonable cost, we jumped at the chance,” Elena adds.
About the space
“It’s quirky, off-beat – fits into our brand and of course means we can sell our plants and flowers in a prime and exclusive London location,” states Elena, the co-founder.
The space itself is in the heart of Mayfair, bordering the junction of Oxford street, and gets high footfall from Oxford street. The area is well known for fashion brands, and occupiers like Ami, Private White, Barbour, Private White and M&E Deli, and the Blooming Wild pop-up space stands out on the street with its bright decor.
The space is spread across a ground floor on a painted wooden staircase – which the team decorated with their floral arrangements – and boasts good lighting.
“What’s reassuring about taking out a temporary rental space is we do not feel tied down or pressurised. Business has gone really well for us in December and in the New Year and we are already starting to take orders for Valentines Day,” Elena adds.
“We didn’t need a huge shop for what we’re selling,” says George, the co-founder. “We want to make it wild so that when people walk in, its like an indoor garden with flowers running up the stairs. We love the space and the interiors are nice and bright!” George adds.
Ready to retail space in Mayfair? Check out our neighborhood guide!
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