From Vacant Storefronts to the National Building Museum: A Project: Pop-Up Story
Every time we open a Project: Pop-Up location, I have a small inkling of what it will bring to the municipality it serves. But I never truly know the full reach or how far the ripple effect will travel. It turns out, it travels pretty far.
Project: Pop-Up. A project born from necessity. The pandemic hit downtowns hard, leaving vacant storefronts and struggling small businesses in its wake. I knew we wanted to build something meaningful that could help revitalize retail districts and support emerging brands. But I never imagined the program would end up featured in a National Museum!
Almost a year ago, Clementine Sherman, Exhibition Coordinator at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., reached out to learn a bit more about our pop-up models. They were curious about how we were activating spaces, supporting small businesses, and bringing life and charm back to downtowns.
Fast forward to October 2025, and I found myself on a train to Washington D.C. to see not one, but two of our Project: Pop-Up locations featured in an exhibit all about the evolution of American downtowns.
Two of our locations. In a national museum.
Let that sink in for a moment, because honestly, I’m STILL processing it.
THE WORK BEHIND THE RECOGNITION
Since its inception in 2021, Project: Pop-Up has hosted over 75 brands across 20 locations in 14 cities.
Every single one of these activations has been special.
Every founder’s origin, every product sold, every dollar spent in these spaces has meaning. I’ve seen how the experimental nature of pop-ups gives founders the chance to test whether physical retail is right for their business. It lets them grow their customer base face-to-face, gather real-time feedback, test new products, and build confidence in ways that online selling never could. Not every pop-up turns permanent (and that’s okay!) but we’ve seen so many open their own brick-and-mortar shops after their pop-up experience ended. And that fills me with a feeling I can’t quite put into words.
That feeling (along with a few butterflies) accompanied me as I traveled down the coast from Boston to D.C. to see my work displayed in a whole new way.
WALKING INTO THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM
The National Building Museum is an impressive sight in itself. The moment you step inside, you’re greeted by a soaring atrium with massive Corinthian columns that make you feel both small and inspired at the same time. It is a space that commands respect and sets the tone for the exhibit I was here to see.
The “Coming Together” exhibit opens with a clever optical illusion: the letters of the exhibit’s name appear disjointed at first, but as you walk closer, they literally come together. It’s a perfect metaphor for what the exhibit explores: how communities, businesses, and people come together to create the vibrant downtowns we love.
The exhibit walks me through the evolution of American downtowns from what they were before the pandemic, how they adapted during, and what they are becoming now. Gorgeous freestanding curved walls showcase charming illustrations and photos from around the United States, each case study representing a different approach to downtown activation and community building. Interactive elements are woven throughout: sticker polls where I and other visitors could share how I interact with my downtowns, a digital map I could use to scan initiatives nationwide, and a memo board where people can share what they want from a downtown.
Every detail of this exhibit has been carefully curated. There are benches made from repurposed plastic jersey barriers (a nod to the pandemic-era streetscape changes). There’s a custom newspaper displayed in a color-coordinated dispenser. (Yes, you know I fully geeked out about this).
And then, there they were.Project: Pop-Up Melrose and Project: Pop-Up Brookline.
My work at UpNext. Our work. Featured alongside other incredible initiatives designed to bring people together and improve our nation’s cities.
It was absolutely surreal.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RECOGNIZED
Standing there, looking at photos of storefronts we’ve activated and brands we believe in, I felt a wave of emotions I wasn’t entirely prepared for.
First, gratitude. To the National Building Museum for recognizing our work, and the care and intention that went into curating the “Coming Together” exhibit. To our municipal partners who helped bring these incubator spaces to life. And to our small business owners who poured their all into their activations to create the experience..
Second, pride –not in a boastful way, but in the quiet, grounded way that comes from knowing you’ve contributed to something meaningful. That the work we do matters. That small businesses and local communities aren’t just the side stories, they’re the main characters, and they’re essential to the fabric of our cities.
And third, responsibility. Because being featured in this exhibit, in this way isn’t just an honor; it’s a reminder that this work is bigger than us. It’s about the founders we support, the neighborhoods we help empower, and the models we’re proving actually works.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The “Coming Together” exhibit celebrates initiatives like ours because they represent a shift in how we think about urban spaces. Downtowns don’t thrive because of big corporations or chains. They thrive because of local businesses, cultural experiences, and communities that show up for each other. And because of creative activations that bring together neighbors who didn’t know they needed each other.
In my humble opinion, there’s a reason that Project: Pop-Up has been such an effective model: it’s a simple solution to an existing problem and it meets people where they’re at.
Founders who want to test retail but can't afford a long-term lease?
Landlords with vacant storefronts who want to activate their spaces?
Mayors and city planners looking to revitalize their downtowns? At UpNext, we figured out that all of these challenges are one and the same. And they have the same solution.
Enter: our pop-ups. A surprisingly elegant solution that creates opportunities. They lower barriers. They prove that retail doesn’t have to look the same for everyone and that with community support, flexibility, and creativity, they can transform neighborhoods.
THE FOUNDERS WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE
As I walked through the exhibit, I thought about every founder who’s ever taken a chance on a Project: Pop-Up space.
The maker who opened their first retail location and learned they could actually make brick-and-mortar a reality.
The creative who tested a product line and discovered what their customers really wanted.
The entrepreneur who used their pop-up as a stepping stone to a permanent shop.
Every single one of them is a part of this story. Their courage, their creativity, their commitment, their products, and their presence in these spaces are what made Project: Pop-Up historic and museum-worthy. Not me, not UpNext, THEM.
So if you’ve ever popped up with us or supported a small business at one of our locations or championed local retail in your community – thank you. This recognition is yours too.
WHAT’S (UP)NEXT
Leaving the National Building Museum, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. (How could I not?!) It’s time to get back to work. There are still vacant storefronts to activate, founders to support, communities that deserve vibrant, thriving downtowns.
Being featured in this exhibit doesn’t mean we’ve “made it.” It means we’re on the right track. It means it all matters. All the meetings, emails, permits, applications… all of it means we need to keep going.
That’s how we help revitalize downtowns. We help them COME TOGETHER one pop-up, one founder, and one community at a time.
And we’re just getting started.
If you’re in the D.C. area, I highly encourage you to visit “Coming Together”. It is a beautiful, thoughtful exploration of what makes our cities work and what we can do to make them even better.
