Storefront Raise $1.6 Million for Pop-up Shops

Exciting news if you want a turn-key experience for running and leasing pop-up shop space. Storefront has just closed on $1.6 Million in funding for their venture.

Per VentureBeat:

Storefront is a startup that wants to create more of these experiences, by making it easier for anyone to find and rent short-term retail space. Today, Storefront announced raising $1.6 million in seed funding to expand into new markets, starting with New York City.
Opening a retail store can be an expensive and time-consuming process. As a result, chefs, artisans, and designers are increasingly turning to online stores or pop-up shops. The average national vacancy rates for retail space is 10 percent, which Storefront said represents nearly $20 billion in lost rent annually.
Storefront’s goal is to make starting an offline store as easy as an online store. It  matches people who need retail space with people who have it, and it tries to cut down on some of the friction involved with starting a physical store. Using the site, entrepreneurs can enter their requirements and search for spaces. Each listing includes detailed descriptions of the neighborhood, photos, nearby businesses, foot traffic, and photographs. Storefront also offers flexible booking and a standardized legal process that streamlines lease agreements and insurance.

Read more on VB and on Adweek.

"Fashion Model for a Minute" Pop Up Party this Saturday

What: Hydrogen-1 shoes is hosting a "Fashion Model for a Minute" pop up party this weekend in the Marina. Shoe designer Hero Nakatani and his Hydrogen-1 scouts will be hand-picking stylish men as they walk by, loaning them a pair of luxury crossover shoes, and handing them over to a professional photographer for a brief photo shoot.

Where: Avila Street @ Chestnut, in San Francisco's Marina district

When: 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm, Saturday April 27

How: Hydrogen-1 scouts will approach and initiate conversations with fashionable men, inviting them to be a Fashion Model for a Minute. Any stylishly dressed man will be considered fair game. Images will be posted to Facebook and Instagram, where models can tag and share them with friends. Models will be required to sign a model release form. Local fashion media are invited to attend, check out the shoes, and interview the models.

Why: Hydrogen-1 is launching a new line of men's luxury crossover shoes, and we want to photograph them on the feet of fashionable men. Therefore, we're taking our shoes to the streets of San Francisco, and taking photos. This is our second Fashion Model for a Minute event. The first was in the Mission on March 30. (See photo gallery.) 

Who: Hydrogen-1 shoes are designed in San Francisco and made in the Le Marche region of Italy. Conceived by hotelier-turned-shoe designer Hero Nakatani, they feature high-end Italian leather uppers and sneaker bottoms. Hydrogen-1's Element line of men's shoes is stylish enough for the boardroom and comfortable enough for the dance floor.