New shop opens in Horsham town centre

The houseplant expert shop - Hugo & Green - is in Swan Walk.

Its opening follows its success when it originally launched as a Pop Up store in West Street last November.

Owner John Kitchin says he received an overwhelming response from Pop Up customers whose enquiries ranged from providing advice on helping to find suitable plants and maintaining them to wanting their own ‘live plant walls’.

John worked with a creative agency team known as Pop Up Shop Agents to create a social media wall, designing a bespoke live moss wall with lights as well as an area in store to sell a variety of plants.

He said: “The Pop Up Shop Agents were a massive support to me jumping into the retail world with my small business.

“I literally couldn’t have done it without their encouragement and mentorship.

“Pop Up Horsham was my first High Street pop-up and it was a really good learning experience as to what product sells and has now progressed to me taking on my own store in Swan Walk.

“Customers got to know me in the former Pop Up Horsham store and it was as much about brand awareness as anything else.

“I see every conversation with someone as an opportunity - just so they get to know me, get to know the brand.

“I am delighted to now be in my own store and I hope to become the main point of contact that people will think of me when they want to get a houseplant in the future, whether it be for their home, their workplace, or their office.”

Pop Up Horsham, which was funded by Horsham District Council and delivered by The Pop Up Shop Agents, closed its doors on January 31 after a successful three months of trading.

The Pop Up Shop Agents, which was founded by principal Charley Crocker, offers bespoke packages from conception to recruiting sellers, store managers, managing finances and legislation through to marketing, branding, social media, and PR.

Charley said: “The Pop Up Shop Agents have a simple mission: to support small businesses to showcase their products and to provide an opportunity to experience hybrid retail – online and on the high street.”

Hugo and Green is the second small business to develop after taking part in a pop up store. Swan Walk’s Gobsmack Comics, the brainchild of writer Drew Dewsall and comic book artist Kris Hazard, utilised the pop up shop as a springboard for their business which went on to take their own full scale unit in Horsham selling a wide range of comics and graphic novels, T-shirts, posters, figures and other cool collectibles.

Entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in finding out more from The Pop Up Shop Agents can visit www.thepopupshopagents.co.uk

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