A vacant lot in the East Village is going to be transformed into an outdoor retail park as of June 1.
The pop-up retail park, called East Village Junction, will be open every Thursday through Sunday (including holiday Mondays) until Oct. 1.
Retailers like Lululemon, Modern Menswear and Family Squeezed Treat Box will set up shops inside a series of shipping containers modified with glass storefronts and fully customized inside and out.
“Our beginnings with Family Squeezed happened in the East Village, so when I heard about it I wanted to be a part of it immediately,” owner Jen Andrews said. “People love being here – and we love being here – and we just, frankly, felt like we couldn’t miss out.”
The East Village Experience website says the retail park will be more like a “friendly neighbourhood square” than a mere shopping mall.
“The heart of the hub is a casual and welcoming common area and gathering space,” it states.
“The shopping experience will be far from ordinary in its design, operations and retail offerings,” CMLC spokesperson Jessa Morrison said in a news release.
“We are curating a variety of retail offerings and services – fresh produce, street-wise apparel, bicycle rentals, artisan crafts, specialty food items and much more.”
The area will also be host to performances, musical events and a daily duo of food trucks.
For more details and a complete list of retailers you can visit the East Village Experience website.