Storefront launches the Pop-Up Index, a global ranking of brand demand for pop-up space
August 4, 2026
Storefront, the world’s largest marketplace for pop-up and short-term retail space, has launched the Storefront Pop-Up Index, a global ranking of where brands want to open pop-up shops, built from Storefront’s own internal marketplace data.
The Index ranks the cities brands most want to open in and shows which countries, and which kinds of brands, are driving that demand. It covers the 12 months to 30 June 2026 and measures demand expressed on the Storefront marketplace rather than the size of the overall market. Cities are scored against the leader, so the figures are relative index scores rather than absolute totals, and the Index refreshes every quarter.
Paris leads, ahead of New York and London
Paris is the world’s leading city for pop-up shops, ahead of New York, with London third, followed by Los Angeles and Milan. Scored against Paris at 100, New York reaches 85 and London 57.
The United States is the single biggest source of demand, accounting for 30 percent of brands looking for space, three times the share from the United Kingdom. American and British brands are also the most likely to cross a border to open a pop-up shop: British brands form the largest foreign group seeking space in New York, while American brands lead foreign demand in London.
Fashion dominates, and half the demand is independent
More fashion brands are seeking space than all other categories combined, at 57 percent, followed by art and galleries, food and drink, design and homeware, and beauty. About half of all demand comes from independent and smaller brands rather than major names, a sign that pop-up shops have become a mainstream way to open rather than a niche one.
When brands open, and what it costs
September is the busiest month of the year for pop-up openings and August the quietest. Brands move quickly: 42 percent plan one to three months ahead, 30 percent open within a month of making their first inquiry, and fewer than one in ten plan beyond six months.
Entry-level spaces start at about $600 a week. Typical weekly rents range from $2,000 to $3,000, while prime locations command $10,000 or more.
“We built the Pop-Up Index because the appetite for physical retail is one of the most misread stories in our industry,” said Mohamed Haouache, CEO and founder of Storefront. “Our data shows brands of every size want space in the world’s great retail cities, and that short-term, flexible space is how many of them choose to open. We wanted to put a clear, public number on that.”
How the Index works
The Index counts brand demand for pop-up shops, showrooms, sample sales, galleries and product launches. It is built from demand on the Storefront marketplace across the rolling 12-month period to 30 June 2026, reducing the effect of seasonal peaks and quieter periods. A brand’s country is assigned according to the country from which its request was submitted. Cities are scored against the leader rather than reported as totals, and the Index refreshes every quarter.
Charts and data for reuse
Charts and findings may be reused with attribution to the Storefront Pop-Up Index and a link. The charts and the underlying data are available without registration or prior approval.
Download the full chart pack (ZIP) · Download every number on the page (CSV)
The full Index, including all charts and the methodology, is at thestorefront.com/pop-up-index.
About Storefront
Founded in 2014, Storefront is the world’s largest marketplace for pop-up and short-term retail space. It connects brands, from global names to independents, with short-term commercial space to open pop-up shops, showrooms, galleries and more, without the cost or commitment of a long-term lease. Learn more at thestorefront.com.
Media contact: press@thestorefront.com