Buzzword: Pop-up store

What it means. "A store that opens in an empty retail location and then deliberately closes after a few weeks or months," writes Paul McFedries, of Word Spy: The Word Lover's Guide to New Words. McFedries cites a couple of references to pop-up stores in recent articles in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune and indicates the earliest citation is from 2004, although jeans giant Levi's is credited with having pioneered the pop-up concept in 1999 with temporary digs in New York City.

Why the buzz? While pop-up stores are nothing new, you'll likely see more of them thanks to the proliferation of vacant retail locations brought on by the recession. Michigan-based Halloween USA, for example, currently has more than 250 pop-up stores nationwide. Expect to see more pop-up shops between now and the end-of-year holidays.

Many major chains, including the Gap, Target, and Toys "R" Us, have signed short-term leases in empty spaces, hoping their pop-up emporiums will generate buzz about a new product or be a cost-effective way to venture into a new market. "It's something that's just getting bigger and bigger every day," Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at market research firm NPD Group, told the Los Angeles Times.

The pop-up model has even gone green. BoHo Bodega (shown), which was located on the border of the Lower Manhattan neighborhoods of SoHo and NoLita during its recent October 21-25 run, called itself the "world's first eco-educational pop up shop." The store, done as a partnership with the Council on the Environment of NYC, sold eco-friendly versions of household products, food, and beverages. The items were marked down considerably in the hope that once shoppers go green, they won't go back.

Pop-up stores are often able to offer their merchandise at discount because of their generally low overhead. So if one appears in your neighborhood, it might be worth popping in.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Seen any cool pop-up stores in your area? Let us know by leaving a comment below. And with the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program expected to go live later this year, maybe some manufacturers or retailers will open up cash for clunkers for appliances pop-up stores.

Photo courtesy of Makemakes.com