Pop-up shops are “here today, gone tomorrow” as temporary retail stores that are easy to spot but hard to catch. As the 2017 South by Southwest festival just ended, here’s a recap of some pop-up shops you may have missed during all the madness.

Story by Brandon Pegram

Vlone

The brand popularized by rappers such as Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti, stopped in Austin and did not disappoint. Created by A$AP Bari, a member of A$AP Mob, a collective of rappers and creatives led by A$AP Rocky, Vlone specializes in graphic tees, hoodies and sweatshirts. All items came with a hefty price tag and limited quantity, which only increased their popularity. Along with the pop-up shop came a long line of customers, waiting to catch a glimpse of the small shop. Adorned in orange paint and gothic writing, the space was minimalistic with the brand’s products spread around the room on hangers. Vlone succeeded in sharing a vibe of intimacy and privacy, permeating the kind of “cool” aura that the brand strives to produce.

SheaMoisture

SheaMoisture, a company which specializes in hair and skin care products particularly for the black community, showcased their pop-up shop in Austin for two days as they handed out numerous samples of their hair and skin care products. Founded by Sofi Tucker, a black woman, in 1912, the brand prides themselves in gathering the best ingredients to produce the best products for healthy hair and skin. Housed in a small trailer that opened up to provide for space for testing of products, the brand provided nothing but smiles and bountiful giveaways throughout the duration of their stay. The shop was open to all and offered a welcoming atmosphere and a variety of products to go around.

Los Pollos Hermanos

For fans of “Breaking Bad,” Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up shop was likely one of the coolest shops around. The shop stood as a replica of the faux fast food joint in the TV series “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” AMC favorites with massive cult followings. Though the pop-up didn’t open as a true restaurant, they did give out free curly fries all day while providing a backdrop for many photo-ops of fans and non-fans of the series alike.

Birds Eye View

Late Friday night rapper Travis Scott sent a tweet saying, “AUSTIN IM HERE,” accompanied with a photo of the flyer detailing his pop-up and fans scrambled to find him.  Though Scott sadly didn’t show, the pop-up shop left many customers happy with the premiere of new merchandise following the announcement of his upcoming “Birds Eye View” tour. The usual garb aligned the walls ranging from graphic tees, hoodies, to vinyls of his latest album “Birds in the Trap.” But if anything about this pop-up was special, it was the display of how loyal Scott’s fanbase has become as people flocked to catch a peek at what the ever-illusive artist had up his sleeve.