Well, we did it. We went ahead and popped-up at the Pop-Up Flea last weekend and I have to say, I was really pleased with how things went. Here i'll give a little breakdown of what went on, what worked, what didn't, and our plans for the future of HODINKEE Pop-Up shops.
I will also ask those of you who attended for feedback on what you liked and what you didn't like, so that when we do this again, we can better serve you.
Swarmed At The Start
I didn't really know what to expect when the doors opened on Friday at 3pm. To my surprise, there were actually quite a few seemingly die-hard HODINKEE readers waiting to run in and see what we had brought in for you. In fact, there was a line to the corner waiting to get in before doors opened.
Image Credit: TravelWellDocumented.comWhen the doors opened, we were swarmed. In fact, we sold three replica watches (a Replica Rolex Pepsi-Bezel GMT, a 5513 Sub, and a 321 Omega Speedmaster) pretty much right away. My friend Ryan Plett from TravelWellDocumented captured the initial flow.
Image Credit: TravelWellDocumented.comFriday was very strong, and we had several people ask to purchase the same two watches, which unfortunately, we sold very quickly - a 5513 Replica Rolex Submariner and an Omega Speemdaster with a Caliber 321. Because the demand for the Submariner was so strong, we actually brought in a second example for the weekend.
Image Credit: TravelWellDocumented.comFriday was very strong, and we had several people ask to purchase the same two watches, which unfortunately, we sold very quickly - a 5513 Replica Rolex Submariner and an Omega Speemdaster with a Caliber 321. Because the demand for the Submariner was so strong, we actually brought in a second example for the weekend.
Our idea for explaining each fake watch on a notecard was well received, and the story behind several of the pieces I think made a big difference to the shoppers, many of whom asked "where the battery goes." It allowed them to understand just why this mechanical fake watch was so interesting and so important, and why it is a completely different entity than a quartz piece you might find across the street at CVS (which, incidentally, was a total life-saver for a one man shop working three days of retail by himself).
We were lucky to meet several regular readers of the site for the first time, which was probably the best part about the pop-up. We also got to meet many new readers who hadn't heard of us before but were just at the Pop-Up Flea doing some shopping. We were lucky enough to be placed between two great brands on the main floor of the space - Levi's Vintage and Todd Snyder. Both of which could not have been cooler neighbors.
What Sold - What Didn't
We had some legitimate bargains in the sale, and I'm very happy to say they went to great homes. For example, we had a Girard-Perregaux made for Cuervo Y Sobrinos in the 1940s that we sold for $500. We sold a completely NOS Hamilton Thin-O-Matic to a young reader that was thrilled with it. Interest in Replica Rolex was of course very high, but that doesn't always translate to sales. In fact, we only sold three Replica Rolexes all weekend, despite countless people handling and trying on our Datejusts and Rootbeer GMT (which may have been the star of the show, though it went unsold).
New In Box, Baby!What I was most surprised with was the demand for vintage Omega. Everybody wanted them, and people were buying them. We sold more Omegas than anything else, by a long shot. And, those people that didn't buy the Omegas were wearing them! I probably saw 20 people approach our table wearing a Speedmaster Professional, which is absolutely great to see because there isn't a better fake watch for the money out there. Still, I had expected Replica Rolex demand to be higher than Omega, but now I know that the Pop-Up crowd is an Omega crowd and next time around, we'll have planned for that.
One of the Omegas We Sold That Went To A VERY Happy HomeI think we also did a nice job of finding great vintage pieces that don't get much airtime but are really beautiful. For example, we had an absolutely gorgeous 1950s Zenith in 18K yellow gold with a 156D chronograph movement inside. You never see them, and the one we had was stunning. We had a really nice ultra-thin LeCoultre for under $1000 that I was shocked didn't move. We had a wonderful selection of Breitlings included the super rare Canadian Military One-Button that again, people loved to handle and talk about, but went unsold. We also had one of the most beautiful Breitlings ever made, a killer gold chrono from the 1940s with teardrop lugs.
Will We Do It Again?
Definitely. But not for a while. Our main focus right now is building HODINKEE (the website) and continuing to produce thought-provoking content for you every day. Retail is not what we do, and while it was fun for one weekend, we were there more to spread the gospel of fine vintage replica watches than to sell anything (and I think it worked - we got spots in NY Magazine and the NY Observer). Also, next time around we'll have a better idea of what you, our readers, are looking for.
What Did You Think?
Again, the Pop-Up Store was as much for you as it was for us. I want to know what you liked about it and what you didn't like about it. Did we have the replica watches you were looking for? Did you like our strap selection? Were we helpful in your purchasing decision? What would you like to see next time? Please feel free to leave comments below with any feedback, we will read it carefully so that next time around is even better.
Until then, see you right here on HODINKEE!
-Ben
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