Sook, the adaptive ‘pop up’ retail company, is today celebrating two significant achievements: its third anniversary and its £1 million sales milestone.
Since non-essential retail reopened in April 2021, Sook has worked with over 175 brands across its seven locations, selling customers time at its shops, not space. As part of its journey to reach this £1 million milestone, Sook has this year opened two new locations on London’s South Molton Street and in Hammersmith, and almost tripled its staff to 35 members. A further 10 locations are planned for 2022 both in the UK and internationally.
The company offers entrepreneurs and businesses of all types and sizes the chance to trade out of prime UK high streets with its affordable, pay-by-the-hour model. Designed to support local communities across the UK, the company has seven spaces including Oxford Street, Hammersmith and two on South Molton Street in London, as well as St James Quarter in Edinburgh, Cambridge and Gateshead.
John Hoyle, CEO and founder of Sook, said: “When it comes to retail space, I believe that everyone should be able to access our high streets and hitting this £1 million target is proof that when given the chance, SMEs and entrepreneurs have a lot to give local high streets. We’ve seen significant growth from brands who can’t afford to take on traditional retail leases but are now able to take time in our spaces when and where they need it, and are driving footfall to our high streets. Without Sook they might never have had the opportunity to reach these customers.”
He added: “With 10 new locations planned this year, we want to continue building our brilliant communities to ensure that we’re not just providing businesses with a space, but a meaningful way to network with other brands and engage with new customers.”
Sook has played host to a wide range of businesses, including fitness instructors, art exhibitors, e- sports brands, skincare specialists, and even a marriage proposal. The company has also worked with household names, including Mastercard, Uber and the British accessories brand, Radley.
Founded by ex-army captain John Hoyle, Sook launched in his home city of Cambridge in 2019, transforming a restaurant into a bookable community space. From his post-army experience as a landlord, John knew first-hand the challenging relationships with tenants. He wanted to create a space where people could use the same space at the right times of the week for them. Demand was immediate and the mission to help local communities thrive took off. All Sook spaces are designed to be sustainable, digitally connected and affordable, situated in premium locations across the UK.
Having reached its £1 million milestone, Sook’s current and future stores will enable hundreds more brands to reach audiences in an affordable way. Its modular, reusable fit-out model supports more sustainable retail, with Sook spaces producing significantly less CO2 than a traditional retail fit-out.
