My mother always told me that once I had children, going out wouldn’t be as easy as it once was. So after kid number four, I convinced myself that doing life on the inside (my home) couldn’t be that bad. But what my mother or I didn’t count on was a new trend taking the retail and food industry by storm. 

The convenience of pop-up shops instantly grabbed my attention and quickly became my new go-to places for eats, treats and shopping. 

Below I’ve listed 5 reasons why pop-up shops are convenient for me. 

Location 

The pop-up shops I normally attend are within the distance of where I live. I don’t have to worry about having enough gas to get to and from a mall or an outlet that’s maybe 30 minutes, an hour or more away with the likelihood of screaming children in the backseat. 

The convenience of attending a nearby pop-up shop also allows me to come and go with ease if I accidentally leave something at home for one of the children, like a pack of wipes or a pacifier. One of my favorite pop-up shops to attend is located in Conyers, Ga., and it’s run by Khari Mightly of My Milk and Money. 

Food Options

I’m a Food Blogger with a concentration in food and restaurant reviews, so the pop-up shops have been helpful because with four children, it’s extremely hard to dine out at a restaurant all the time and expect the kids to be on their best behavior the entire time. My oldest and my husband help out when we’re all together, but if I’m alone with the three small children, I’ve got my work cut out for me. 

However, with the fluidity and openness of a pop-up shop, not only am I able to try several food options in one space, I’m able to move about freely with the children and not be confined to a restaurant’s table or booth with a fussy baby, an energetic toddler, and a restless preschooler. 

Networking Opportunities

I consider myself to be a budding entrepreneur, so pop-up shops are a great and informal way to put myself out there and get to know more people. I can have my children with me, I don’t have to dress up and the environment is very relaxed. I can exchange business cards, exchange social media information and develop new relationships, all while wiping runny noses or passing a kid a pack of fruit snacks. 

Not only is networking at pop-up shops an easy and helpful way to develop business relationships, it’s also an easy and helpful way to develop friendships. I don’t have a lot of mom friends, so if I start talking with a mom at a pop-up shop who has children around my children’s age and we connect, that’s another reason why pop-up shops get two thumbs up from me.

Smaller Crowds 

With COVID-19 still playing a huge factor in our everyday lives, I appreciate the smaller crowds of pop-up shops. There’s still quite a few people at the pop-ups, but with the shops being outside, it gives me a sense of comfort knowing I’m not cooped up inside of a packed department store or crowded restaurant. Now don’t get me wrong, I still go to malls and restaurants occasionally, I just love that pop-up shops are less crowded and are out in the open. 

Less Time Consuming 

I’ve found pop-up shops are also convenient for me because they are not as time consuming as going to a shopping mall. For instance, parking and the size of the mall. If I go to the mall on a weekend, it’s likely to be really busy. It’ll be hard to find parking, let alone find parking up close to the entrance. Personally, I don’t want to have to park rows and rows away from the entrance and then have to lug diaper bags, children and strollers all the way to the front doors. 

At pop-up shops, I don’t have to spend a ridiculous amount of time driving around looking for parking. I park in really close proximity to the shops and I don’t have to walk long distances to get to the entrance. Also, malls are way bigger than pop-up shop areas. If I want to see everything in a mall, I have to cover way more ground than I would at pop-up shops. Pop-up shops are set up in a way where you can go to each business with ease and in a timely manner. 

If you’re a mom like me looking for fun and convenient things to do, try checking out local pop-up shops in your area. 

You can also follow me at feliciathefoodiemom for all my pop-up shop adventures!

Felicia Anitra is a food blogger based in the Atlanta area. She runs Felicia the Foodie Mom.