Sook, a prominent provider of pop-up retail spaces, officially ceased operations on December 31st due to insufficient investment. Founded by property entrepreneur John Hoyle five years ago, Sook carved a niche by offering brands temporary retail spaces in prime UK locations.
These locations included London hotspots like Oxford Street, South Molton Street, Shoreditch, Islington Square, and Hammersmith. Sook’s reach extended to major regional malls, providing a unique opportunity for property giants to fill vacant retail spaces.
Grosvenor, operator of Liverpool One, praised Sook’s model for enabling local brands to establish a physical presence where it might otherwise be challenging.
Just two months ago, Sook partnered with Depop, allowing 11 online retailers to utilize physical spaces over six months through the Depop @ Sook program. Despite these efforts, the closure was announced in a LinkedIn statement by Hoyle, citing an inability to secure sufficient investment.
This marks the end of Sook’s era, leaving a void in the pop-up retail space sector. The closure is a loss for local and international brands that benefited from Sook’s innovative and accessible approach to temporary retail spaces.
