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You have brick-and-mortar options

Pop-ups, RMUs, kiosks, and inline store formats — which is right for you?

Whether you’re an e-commerce brand looking to build an omnichannel presence, a small business looking to test out a market, or an individual trying to figure out where to begin in your brick-and-mortar journey, the value of a physical shopping experience cannot be denied. (Don’t believe us? Check out our data-backed article on the benefits of brick-and-mortar retail).

In today’s retail environment, consumers aren’t just shopping, but seeking discovery, connection, and convenience. Brands that establish even a small physical footprint often see higher customer engagement, stronger conversion rates, and increased brand loyalty. Short-term formats have become especially valuable tools for digital-native brands and entrepreneurs to meet customers where they are, learn quickly, and scale intentionally.

To put you on the path toward brick-and-mortar success, we’ve broken down four store options that allow you to be in the retail world without signing a permanent lease: pop-up units, RMUs, kiosks, and temporary inline spaces. Read on to find the best fit for your brand.

Option #1: Pop-up units

Are you a maker or small business owner looking to see if a brick-and-mortar retail location is right for you, but are nervous about the commitment of opening a location? Testing your business with a pop-up unit may be perfect! Pop-up units have flexible deal terms — some even as short as a day or a weekend — where you can display your product at the mall among shoppers who are already in the mood to buy. Many malls have dedicated pop-up fixtures you can use, making it easy to bring your products and set up in minutes.

We often see emerging brands start with pop-ups to test product mix or pricing before committing to something larger. For example, beauty and wellness brands often use pop-ups to introduce seasonal collections or limited-edition drops to gauge real-time shopper interest. If you’d like more proof on the power of pop-up retail, we’ve partnered with The Business of Fashion to provide you even more insights!

Option #2: RMUs

Retail merchandising units (sometimes called RMUs or carts) are mobile structures typically available in the common areas at the mall, putting you in the middle of the action. These small-footprint, pre-built, mall-owned units make displaying your products easy. Just bring your merchandise, utilize the built-in counters, shelves, and fixtures, style it up, and voilà — your mini shop is ready! RMUs give you the ability to be open at the mall every day but require no build-out. For those that have limited inventory or smaller products, this store format allows you to test the waters while capitalizing on the mall cross-shopping to gain new customers. Check out some examples of what an RMU looks like in a mall.

RMUs work especially well for brands with impulse-driven products. Think gadget retailers, accessory brands, or viral TikTok products, as the visibility in high-traffic common areas often leads to strong add-on sales from cross-shopping mall customers.

Option #3: Kiosks

For brands looking to have a physical footprint and wanting to customize how their location looks, a kiosk could be a great option. Presentation is key — pre-owned kiosks can be remodeled to fit your need, or you can build a kiosk from the ground up for a highly customized look. At GGP, our design department can help bring your kiosk vision to life with ideation and renderings if design assistance is needed (view kiosk designs we’ve done for some businesses). Additionally, if utilities such as sinks or kitchen appliances are needed for your business, a kiosk is the only common-area option that can accommodate. Though kiosks require a longer-term agreement and a more in-depth build-out than previously mentioned formats, the customization options of a kiosk is perfect for businesses wanting to get serious about expanding in brick-and-mortar but still want some flexibility to test.

Kiosks have also become popular for experiential offerings — from custom jewelry engraving to mini-beauty services. Their customizable footprint makes them ideal for brands ready to express a more polished version of their retail identity while still keeping risk low.

Option #4: Temporary inline store

Inline stores are the traditional store spaces you think of in a mall — those that flank the main mall or wing spaces. When these spaces become vacant, potentially waiting for their next permanent leases to start, these spaces may be available for short-term opportunities. This is the perfect situation for businesses that want to see what it feels like to operate a full store, but don’t want to sign on for a permanent agreement. Out of all formats listed in this article, inline stores can often provide you with more square footage, but that also means you need to have enough product to fill the store so that it doesn’t look empty. These spaces come in a variety of conditions based on their tenant — you could utilize fixtures and designs that work perfectly with your brand or look for an inline space that is a “white box” where you can start from scratch. To get a better feel for what temporary inline spaces look like, check out our online leasing platform to view inline stores available at some of our malls around the country right now.

How to choose the right format

If you’re unsure where to start, consider these questions:

• What’s your primary goal? (Test a market, launch a product, build brand presence, create an experiential moment, etc.)

• How much inventory do you have on hand? (Helps determine footprint size)

• Do you need utilities or custom fixtures? (Points toward kiosk or inline)

• How quickly do you want to open? (Pop-ups and RMUs offer fastest speed-to-market)

• How much visual storytelling does your brand need? (Inline locations provide the greatest creative freedom)

Your answers will help narrow down which format aligns with your resources and timeline. See the below chart for more info.