What's a Pop Up? Sighted as early as the 1990s in large urban cities such as Tokyo, London, Los Angeles and New York City, pop-up shops and pop-up retail are temporary retail spaces that sell merchandise of any kind. As a vendor or business owner, it is your chance to test a concept or a market in a short term lease arrangement. Locations for pop ups include vacant store fronts, complimentary retail spaces, shipping containers and vacant lots.