Hypermarket is a new monthly retail event and pop-up dining experience that provides a platform to artists, designers and makers with a guest curator for each market. It takes place at SWG3 in the new Galvanizers venue and the outdoor space Yardworks.
Doors opened at 5pm today and Hypermarket runs across the weekend. Glasgowist visited yesterday to see the final preparations and to speak to curator Alec Farmer from Trakke, who make backpacks, messenger bags and accessories from their workshop within the SWG3 complex.
The attention-grabbing food businesses on Argyle Street set the tone for Finnieston. The strip is punctuated with independent businesses which create an opening for new creatives but it is not quite a shopping destination yet.
The Hidden Lane is home to artists and designers, there are local digital companies like Bright Signals. Then there’s what happening down an anonymous lane, between an increasing number of student accommodation buildings and the traffic on Pointhouse Road.
Eastvale Place features a procession of railway arches converted into showrooms, workspaces, studios and production spaces. At the end, the industrial buildings have been transformed into media hubs, offices, venues and now a multi-purpose outdoor space. It helps round out Finnieston’s reputation as Glasgow’s resurgent, hip neighbourhood. It’s impressive.
Alec Farmer and his colleagues at Trakke have their business here and have seen the momentum increase in the last five years to a stage where SWG3 is ready to take things up a notch. He’s taking the lead on the first Hypermarket event, describing it as like a department store for emerging businesses.
There’s been a lot of work on preparing the way with the Galvanizers warehouse and Yardworks kitted out with the infrastructure to accommodate everything from fashion or homeware brands to prints and street food. Alec explains that the first batch of producers will have a design focus with next month having an art theme. You’ll see a mix of things to buy and there will be new additions to each event. The hope it to create a place that attracts the best businesses in the city and beyond, and somewhere that people want to hangout for the weekend.
This might be the missing link for the area and for pop-up events across the city. It taps into trends in other cities and allows producers that only have an online presence to sell directly to the public. So, yes, there will be music and food and cocktails and craft beers, some family friendly activities on Saturday and Sunday, a fair amount of hipster posturing, hopefully some sunshine, all that fun stuff.
The main focus, however, will be on seeing something you won’t find on the high street and meeting the makers.
It feels like the start of something interesting. Here’s what you need to know:
HYPERMARKET will take place in our new venue, GALVANIZERS, and our outdoor space, YARDWORKS. This will also be the last chance to view the graffiti works produced at Yardworks Festival.
June Guest Curator: Alec Farmer from Trakke
Friday 30th June 5pm-10pm
Saturday 1st July 11am-10pm
Sunday 2nd July 11am-6pm
FREE ENTRY
HYPERMARKET is:
DESIGN
FASHION
LIFESTYLE
GRAFFITI
HOMEWARE
PRINTS
T-SHIRTS
STREET FOOD
GUEST RESTAURANT
COCKTAILS
CRAFT BEER
MINI MANOEUVRES
CREATION STATION
GRAFFITI WORKSHOPS
Saturday and Sunday afternoon will be family focused, with activities for kids and young people. Mini Manoeuvres and the Graffiti Workshops will be ticketed, please book in advance. The event is also dog friendly.
Exhibitors
Trakke
McNair
Local Heroes
Risotto Studio
Object Company
Ecosie
Hoos
Shapes of Things
Ashire
Ruth Hollywood Jewellery
Habiib Home
Filmore Skincare
Nicole Bidoli
Text from a Friend
Century General Store
East End Press
Fare Magazine
Lucky Cloud Skincare
Brian Sweeney Photography
Lake & Loch
Betty Spoke