UPDATED: Three winning businesses have been picked to share the Sage pop-up shop space in London’s Oxford Street, which opens tomorrow (June 14).
The three well-deserved winners are Baboodle, the UK’s first baby equipment rental platform, socially conscious online bookstore LoveReading, and vegan brownie baker Cake or Death.
Come and visit our three winning small businesses at the Sage pop-up shop space at 58 Oxford Street, London W1D 1BH between June 14-17. Opening hours are between 10am to 7pm.
The essential guide to setting up a pop-up shop in the UK – In this guide we explain the key things small businesses need to consider when setting up a pop-up shop in the UK
We have a great week planned with workshops, influencers and networking events all lined up.
Over 250 companies entered our Sage pop-up shop competition, which was judged by Baby Cot Shop founder Toks Aruture, Small Business Commissioner and broadcaster Liz Barclay, Borough 22 owner Ryan Panchoo, and Sage VP performance marketing UKI Kirsty Waller.
Katie Cross, director of Cake of Death, said: “Everyone at Cake or Death Bakery is delighted to have been chosen for the Small Business pop-up shop. This is an incredible opportunity for us to show Londoners just how good brownies can be. We’d never normally get the chance to reach so many people and it will make a huge difference to our business.”
As to what made our three winners stand out, the judges variously praised their unique branding, social conscience, and sense of building a community.
Sage executive Kirsty Waller praised the unique identity of Cake or Death, with its singular focus on one product done well.
Meanwhile, Toks Aruture said the Baboodle business model of re-using outgrown baby equipment was “innovative and needed”. Aruture said: “The baby goods market is growing, which also means the potential for more waste. Good quality baby items shouldn’t be discarded and added to landfill.”
LoveReading is an online bookshop that donates 25 per cent of the cover price you pay for physical books to a school of your choice to buy books. And every book listed has 10 per cent knocked off the RRP in the first place. LoveReading enables book buyers to actively support their local school, with a certain percentage given to schools in deprived areas. Sixty per cent of teachers say they don’t have money to buy books for their students.
Small business commissioner Liz Barclay enthused: “The purpose behind this business and the passion for books and for children’s learning shines through. Books really do change lives but not all get the chance to benefit from them early enough.”
More on pop-up shops
8 payment systems for festivals, pop-ups and street food markets