Pop-up with purpose helps TMU students grow their business
Donna Smith, director of retail management poses in front of the School of Retail’s brand new Pop Up Shop inside the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM) building. The Pop Up Shop will run every week except for study weeks and the winter break. It will close after the last week of classes in April and resume in Fall 2026.
Being an entrepreneur often means taking risks and finding creative ways to test an idea. Pop-up shops are an excellent way for small businesses to test, grow and showcase their brand.
TMU’s new Retail Pop Up Shop is proving this and giving TMU entrepreneurs the chance to showcase innovative products, reach new customers and create memorable experiences.
“The majority of the entrepreneurs that I've spoken to have done markets and shops, but it's usually for six hours and then you're out,” says Jennifer Newman, vice-president of the retail alumni association and manager of The Pop Up Shop.
This pop-up shop will give vendors the chance to stay for up to a week. “We wanted to create the opportunity where you can make some connections and build some excitement through the week,” she says.
The Pop Up Shop is located on the eighth floor inside the Ted Rogers School of Management building at 55 Dundas Street W and is open to students, faculty and staff.
A pop-up shop that models TMU’s values
The Pop Up Shop prides itself on representing TMU’s values.
“As we look for entrepreneurs, we’re looking to recruit ventures that represent the values of the university and the faculty,” says Donna Smith, director of retail management. “For example, products that take diversity and inclusion into consideration and Indigenous retailers.”
Sustainability is also top of mind, and the shop is consistently seeking out businesses that model these values.
Orso Activewear is one of the first businesses to launch in the space. On the right is Justine Ste-Marie, third year nutrition student and co-founder of Orso Activewear. Photo by Denee Rudder
Third-year nutrition student Justine Ste-Marie, co-founder of Orso Activewear, (external link) is among the first TMU entrepreneurs to showcase their business at The Pop-Up Shop.
Ste-Marie launched Orso Activewear in 2024 with her boyfriend.
The brand repurposes fishing nets and plastic bottles to reduce waste in the fashion industry and create comfortable and durable clothing.
“We wanted to have a brand that would change the activewear industry to something more sustainable and more inclusive,” she says. “We wanted women with different bodies to feel beautiful and confident in their clothing,” Ste-Marie says.
Orso Activewear has a shop inside Union Station and the Distillery District, and Ste-Marie has held other pop-ups as well.
But the opportunity at TRSM is unique to her because it exposes her to a greater number of TMU students.
“It’s been great to connect with fellow students as clients and learn about them,” Ste-Marie says. “A lot of students also have similar concerns to me and they’re looking for brands that they can feel happy to wear, that are not made in unethical ways and are more sustainable.”
The lasting impact
Donna Smith (left) and Jennifer Newman are the forces behind the Pop Up Shop. Newman is an alumna from the School of Retail Management program.
The Pop Up Shop isn’t just about selling products, it’s also an opportunity to improve and grow as an entrepreneur.
“Merchandising is obviously important and the reality is that most of the entrepreneurs we’re speaking with have done markets before,” Newman says. “But what we’re working with these entrepreneurs to do is manage their business as a whole — POS systems, insurance, the logistics of loading in and understanding how much inventory you need to sell for four or five days.”
Another key lesson is developing customer relationships.
“A lot of these businesses started online, especially after COVID-19, and haven’t had that face-to-face, in-person customer experience,” Newman says. “The student body is definitely a good test market because they understand trends and what’s going on right now.”
The shop also provides tools to help vendors succeed, from digital screens to promote products to direct guidance.
“As we host the first few vendors, we’re going to be able to advise the entrepreneurs to a higher degree as to how they can maximize the time that they’re in the shop,” she says.
For Ste-Marie, the experience has already been valuable. “The fact that we have this opportunity to have this space is really great,” she says. “A lot of people are passing by, and we get to connect with the students, faculty and staff.”
Feature your business on campus
The Pop-Up Shop is free to use and open to:
- TMU student businesses or student groups that have products that are of interest to the community
- TRSM alumni
- You are an Industry/Community Partner: A partner that is affiliated with the School of Retail Management, interested in showcasing something of value to the student community (i.e., not just selling products)
Once the (google form) Retail Pop-Up Intake Form (external link) is submitted, the School of Retail communicates acceptance decisions and assigns a timeslot. Each group or business is responsible for its setup and takedown.