Pop-up space in downtown Durham a temporary home for small businesses

There's a new pop-up space in downtown Durham for startups and small retailers to test their business models.

The 300 sq. ft. space at 307 W. Main St. will primarily temporarily host woman-owned and minority-owned retailers.

The pop-up's first tenant is Hometown Apparel, a print shop and gift shop known for its Bull City and North Carolina-branded clothing and accessories with a primary location on Ninth Street.

Founder Barbara Stover, a Durham native, said, “Downtown  Durham is in much need of a store where locals or visitors can find Durham-themed souvenirs, gifts and more. We would love to bring Hometown Apparel to downtown Durham with a permanent second location. For now, we’re thrilled to have a pop-up."

Hometown Apparel will be in the pop-up space through the end of June, when an unannounced retailer will take its place.

“Durham values woman and minority-owned businesses, and DDI has made it a priority to see those businesses grow in downtown,” said Nicole J. Thompson, Downtown Durham, Inc. President & CEO. “We were thrilled to be able to carve out this storefront space in our new location to give those entrepreneurs a chance to see if the downtown market is a good fit for their business.”