INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.– Downtown Indy, Inc. is offering a pop-up retail program for artists and businesses to help fill vacant floor space in the heart of Indianapolis.
St’art Up 317 is a pilot program aimed at matching young brands, businesses, startups and artists, with vacant and under-utilized commercial space in downtown neighborhoods to create pop-up stores.
“Activation is the key word,” said Catherine Esselman, the real estate director for Downtown Indy, Inc. “We just want to see this space more active than it’s been.”
St’art Up 317 is a partnership between Downtown Indy, Inc. the City of Indianapolis and PATTERN.
The long-term goal of the program is to eliminate empty storefronts, increase consumer spending and ensure the downtown neighborhoods continue to thrive.
“It’s a win-win,” Esselman said. “We are hoping to allow some individuals and companies to test the waters downtown. We know they are going to love it and are going to do great business and are going to want to find a a permanent home in downtown.”
The program will offer three retail spaces during the month of May. The available spaces include:
-Corner of New Jersey and Market streets inside Artistry Apartments
-Corner of Virginia and Woodlawn avenues in Fountain Square
-Northwest corner of Alabama and South streets
“Indianapolis comes alive in the month of May and we really have a diverse group of people that want to experience our city,” said Esselman. “With Whole Foods opening, with almost 300 apartments directly catty-cornered. There’s 500 in the Artistry complex and that’s a lot of new cool energy and I’m all about seeking more activation and energy on the street.”
Window spaces are also available for artists to showcase their work.
St’art Up 317 is accepting applications from individuals, organizations or businesses who have a product or exhibit that can pop-up for 30 days in May during regular business hours.
The application deadline is April 1.
