聽說過“pop-up shop 快閃潮店”嗎？你會光顧快閃潮店嗎？2008年英國經濟危機給一些創業者帶來了商機，現在英國城市商業街道上隨處可見銷售各類商品的“快閃店”。《隨身英語》帶你了解這些臨時商店給英國高街帶來的變化。

課文內容

詞匯: Retail 零售業

Do you like somewhere a little bit different to the usual types of places you find on the high street?  I do, so I'm glad to see new ones popping up everywhere in London.

The so called pop-up shop is a temporary arrangement. In the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008, many businesses had to shut down. Shops, warehouses and offices were left vacant when they stopped trading. Pop-up entrepreneurs occupied some of them quickly. For them the appeal of this temporary shopping concept is clear: they can start a business with much lower risk. The temporary nature of a pop-up gives the opportunity to test a product and develop a customer base, without being tied in to a long-term renting contract. Being small makes it much easier for pop-ups to expand if they are successful.

Pop-up shops first appeared in the UK in the early 2000s, with the economy booming. They were originally a way for small, niche companies to rent retail space in great locations. This was while landlords who owned these spaces looked for permanent tenants.

Pop-up shops can take a number of different forms. They might be temporary shops in the high street or a shopping centre. They might be simple market stalls. They could be based in some kind of transport, like a food truck. Or they could be run by people who visit different establishments, like travelling chefs who take over pub and restaurant kitchens temporarily.

According to a 2014 report by the Centre of Economic and Business Research, the pop-up industry was worth ￡2.1bn and is expected to grow by 8.4% this year.

Almost anything that can be on a high street can also be a pop-up. There have been pop-up shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants among others. In an age of fast-changing habits, the pop-up idea might be here to stay.

詞匯 表

a high street   商業街
a pop-up shop   快閃商店（臨時鋪位商店）
aftermath   余波，（某事造成的）后果
to shut down （公司，商店）關門、倒閉
a warehouse   倉庫
vacant   空的，空閑的
to trade   經營交易，做買賣
a customer base   顧客群
renting contract   租賃契約
to expand   發展，擴大
booming   蓬勃急速發展的
niche   針對特定客戶群的
a retail space   商用場所、空間
a landlord   房東，地主
a tenant   租戶，承租人
a market stall   市場上的攤位
establishment   企業，集團

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. True or false? Pop-ups first appeared because the economy was bad.
2. Which two groups are the main people involved in setting up pop-up shops?
3. Why are pop-ups a good thing for landlords?
4. Who said the pop-up industry is growing?
5. What kind of services can take the form of a pop-up business?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. The rent is too expensive. I think I'll have a word with the __________.

entrepreneur      tenant      landlord      travelling chef  

2. If the economy doesn't recover I think I might have to __________ the shop.  

expand      shut down      pop up      buy  

3. Without pop-ups, high streets might all look __________.  

different      the same      temporary      the usual  

4. If you want to rent a place you need to sign __________.  

a contract      a customer base      a retail space      the pop-up industry  

5. This is a __________ magazine. It is for porcelain dolls collectors.  

vacant      niche      low risk      booming

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. True or false? Pop-ups first appeared because the economy was bad.
False. Pop-ups actually started when the economy was doing well, or 'booming'. They were set up by niche companies so people could set up shops for specific markets.

2. Which two groups are the main people involved in setting up pop-up shops?
The article mentions ' entrepreneurs ' - people who start their own businesses - and 'landlords' - people who own properties.

3. Why are pop-ups a good thing for landlords?
Because they need people to use their empty shops and pay rent.

4. Who said the pop-up industry is growing?
The Centre of Economic and Business Research.

5.What kind of services can take the form of a pop-up business?
Shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. The rent is too expensive. I think I'll have a word with the landlord.

2.  If the economy doesn't recover I think I might have to shut down the shop.

3.  Without pop-ups, high streets might all look the same.

4.  If you want to rent a place you need to sign a contract.

5.  This is a niche magazine. It is for porcelain dolls collectors.