Storefront

Storefront operates as a premier online marketplace for short-term retail space rentals, effectively serving as a conduit between property owners and brands seeking temporary physical retail presences. The company was founded in 2012 by Erik Eliason and Tristan Pollock, who launched the venture through the AngelPad start-up accelerator. Their journey began after observing the difficulties e-commerce brands and artists faced in securing short-term leases, with one friend encountering significant hurdles with brokers and insurance providers. This experience highlighted a market need for a more flexible and efficient retail real estate solution.

The business functions on a commission-based model, levying fees on both the property owners from the rental fee and the renters through booking fees. This core revenue stream is supplemented by premium services that offer enhanced listing visibility and targeted marketing. The platform caters to a diverse client base, ranging from emerging online brands and artists to established global companies like Google, Samsung, and L'Oréal, enabling them to launch pop-up shops, test new markets, and create brand experiences. Storefront simplifies the rental process, reducing the average time to rent a space to 12 days, a significant drop from the 60 days typical for traditional retail.

A significant milestone occurred in 2016 when the original U.S.-based Storefront was acquired by its French counterpart, Pop-up Immo, founded by Mohamed Haouache and Adrien Kerbrat. Haouache, who experienced firsthand the difficulty of finding affordable, short-term space during the financial crisis, now leads the combined entity as CEO. This merger created the largest global marketplace for temporary retail space, consolidating their operations under the Storefront brand and expanding their listings to over 10,000 across North America, Europe, and Asia. The company has continued its expansion, acquiring Italian competitor What a Space in 2022 to strengthen its foothold in the European market.

Keywords: short-term retail rental, pop-up shops, online marketplace, retail real estate, temporary retail space, commercial space leasing, brand activation, pop-up stores, event venues, flexible retail, e-commerce physical presence, landlord solutions, tenant services, retail experience, property technology, international retail spaces, New York retail, Paris retail, London retail, Milan retail