ASHEBORO, N.C. — Many small businesses struggle to get a brick-and-mortar location going, but a contest is helping a shop owner open up new doors.
The American Dream Project Next Great Pop Up Shop is run by the Hull Property Group across multiple markets in the United States.
Hull Property Group manages retail spaces in strip shopping centers and malls. With large companies leaving the malls in smaller markets, empty spaces are collecting in the once bustling area.
Their American Dream Project is filling these spaces, providing small business owners the chance to have their own brick-and-mortar storefront during the peak holiday season for 12 weeks.
Lindsey Mueller with Hull Property Group says the project started in 2019 and has already covered 17 markets across the United States, helping 40 businesses.
“We have these spaces that are beautiful and ready to go, but we need someone to move in. How can we connect these spaces with the community looking for opportunities and how can we bridge the connection between these two,” Mueller said.
The businesses receive a retail space for their pop-up shop from October through December, up to $1,000 for the design and buildout of the space, access to a team of graphic designers, marketing team and guidance from the American Dream Project team.
“It really is a unique opportunity as it gives people the opportunity to grow. Small business is the future,” Mueller said.
The locations available for the contest can vary each year, based on which properties have vacancies.
This year, 10 total locations were selected in Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and three in North Carolina.
Heather Pearman is one of the lucky winners with her store, Olive Peach Boutique, being selected for the Asheboro Mall.
Olive Peach Boutique has children's clothes, mommy-and-daddy matching children sets and a balloon bar.
“What we're more excited about is that there's no balloon stores in Randolph County, so we're hoping to use that advantage to grow the balloons,” Pearman said.
Pearman started off her store doing pop-ups and e-commerce, eventually getting a storefront at Friendly Center in Greensboro and an event space in Stokesdale.
“So I have two boys and a third boy on the way. So in some sense, this shop is kind of like the girl that I will never have,” Pearman said.
She applied for the American Dream Project Next Great Pop-Up Shop last year and didn’t get it, but her determination paid off.
“We didn't get it last year, and we applied before we had our Friendly's center store. So when we applied, I was determined to take this from a pop-up store to a brick-and-mortar,” Pearman said.
She is using this opportunity to see if they could handle two storefronts.
“It's something that we wouldn't have been able to do if it wasn't for the dream project, especially like there's no way we could have been able to do two locations starting at the same exact time, like we're renovating the other one this week as well,” Pearman said.
Pearman encourages other small businesses to apply next year as well.
“So as a small business owner having the opportunity is huge, is massive, especially if you've never had a brick and mortar. It's a great way to step out and see if you're going to if your business is going to go off or if it's if it even if it doesn't go off, it's low risk. You're not investing into a property for a year. It's great baby steps,” Pearman said.
The American Dream Project opens applications in the selected markets from March until May.
According to Mueller, the Hull Property Group looks at the businesses to get a deeper understanding of their mission, interviewing and meeting the applicants in the retail space. After the Hull Property Group creates a close relationship and understanding of where they want to take their business, they will announce the winners at the end of July.
Pearman’s store will join the list of 29 retail spaces located within the Asheboro Mall and can decide if she would like to sign a lease after the holiday season.
She says it’s a full-circle moment for the business as she started her pop-ups in Asheboro and Ramseur.
“We’re hoping that this does amazing and this is a forever home. That is our ultimate goal,” Pearman said.
She Shack Boutique was the winner of the Asheboro Mall pop-up location last year, and Olive Peach Boutique will have its grand opening on September 29.
Below is a list of locations in North Carolina selcted for the 2023 American Dream Project Next Great Pop-Up Shop:
- Olive Peach Boutique in Asheboro (Asheboro Mall)
- Golden Rack Boutique in Concord (Carolina Mall)
- Olive Press Deli in Hendersonville (Blue Ridge Mall)