Last March, we closed our shop in The Brooks Centre Winchester. This November we’ve opened our shop in The Brooks. We’re not the only ones who are moving in. Popup shops are popping up all over The Brooks.

We’re next door to Argos, which is quite nice since I’ve recently used the slogan ‘Gifts you won’t find in the Argos catalogue’ for our online shop. Next door to us is Khatmandu And Diddly Do, an odd name but a cornucopia of gift ideas from across the planet. Then there are our old friends Urban Bird with designer lampshades and other funky products. Across the way is the annual Calendar shop. Downstairs Pitfield of London and the Chesil Rectory have joined forces to bring a quirky blend of café and emporium. All of this is not to mention the new permanent resident Childhood’s Dream, a most excellent toy shop.

In the space of a few weeks, the top floor of The Brooks has gone from being half empty to jam packed. We shopkeepers believe we’re on to a winner because Christmas is the only time of year most of us make any money- for some retailers it represents 45% of their turnover. The Brooks are obviously happy too. The more shops, the more rent and the more customers. The management and staff couldn’t have been more helpful.

A popup shop may give a business like ours the chance to exploit Christmas to the full but for others it’s a toe in the water. A new enterprise, as mine was six years ago, is likely to find a ten year lease far too much of a risk. A popup gives you the chance to give an idea a try. If it works, you can build a business but if it fails you can walk away without going bankrupt. This must be a good model for any struggling high street or shopping centre and for the economy as a whole.

The same idea has worked for thirty years at Hampshire Workspace in Winchester where my online business is now based and for whom I do some marketing work. Entrepreneurs can take an office there without business references or a credit rating and are only obliged to give two months’ notice. Starting or growing a business is always a step into the unknown. This way, if things go wrong or very well for that matter, they can easily move to smaller or bigger premises.

Theatres are also in the popup game. The National Theatre popped up at the Old Vic and the Aldwych before it got its own building. Some theatre companies regularly visit village halls and school gymnasiums. The Theatre Royal Winchester has been popping up in the Discovery Centre recently- this Saturday it is promoting an extraordinary exploration of love and sex in Beauty And The Beast. The new Chief Executive of the The Nuffield Southampton has promised to take his exciting productions into unusual locations.

Popups can give a company or a theatre the chance to experiment or simply grab some extra income. The best result is that the experiment works so well or the new customers come out in such numbers that the activity becomes permanent. That’s a win for everybody.

This blog was written by Paul Lewis, owner of the marketing consultancy The Lewis Experience and online retailer Your Life Your Style, and former Head of Marketing and Operations at The Mayflower Theatre. You can connect with him on Google+ and LinkedIn.