In recent years, a whole laundry list of merchants have closed their doors at the iconic Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach, FL.
The departures range from independent restaurants and bars to national chains. Looking to stem the outflow, and to fill some of the empty storefronts, the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District and the City of Miami Beach have loosened restrictions for pop-up permits.
A city ordinance now allows pop-up tenants to stay in a spot for up to a year. Previously, pop-up permits in Miami Beach had been limited to three months.
“For three months, it’s just not worth it,” says Lyle Stern, president of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District.
The pop-up program will focus on local merchants who aren’t ready for the commitment required by a long-term lease. “Landlords want a way to host local or interesting tenants who don’t necessarily want a long-term lease. It makes the street more interesting,” Stern says. “The goal is that those tenants do well, and they prove to themselves and to the landlords that their business thesis works.”
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