Stackt Market: The beauty of impermanence
Author: Natalie Pastuszak
Date: December 18, 2021
When asked about my favourite places in the city, I always have Stackt Market high on the list.
Sandwiched between a heavy multi-modal Bathurst Street, car-centric Front Street, and the city’s primary east-west arterial commuter rail line, Stackt Market is an unexpected refuge of culture and creativity, even if only temporary.
Today, the 100,000 sq. ft. site operates as a mostly outdoor modern market. Constructed out of modular shipping containers, it houses pop-up retail and restaurant space for both established brands and those looking to test a physical presence without the commitment of a long-term lease. The “here today, gone tomorrow” retail experience is mirrored by an ever-changing program of events. The continuous airflow of creativity and urban inspiration is quite alluring.
The concept of pop-up shops has gained momentum over the last two decades.
Its roots seem to point to Berlin in the early 2000’s where Rei Kawakubo opened a Guerrilla-style store for her Japanese fashion brand Comme Des Garcon. The brand began to open shops in “yet-to-be-gentrified” areas for minimal costs. This was part, a way to sell current and past merchandise as it was a rejection of conventional or even concept retail.
Retail continues to evolve. In the real estate development industry, the “future of retail” is often debated. One doesn’t have to look at today’s mall experience and street level retail vacancy to know online shopping has outpaced the industry more rapidly than many of us would have anticipated.
Does retail still require a physical experience?
Thinking about experiential retail, I would argue yes. I believe the more time we spend online, the more time we need to spend IRL (in real life). However, no one knows for certain. The success of Stackt makes it evident that adaptability in retail is a must, both in the brands and people that occupy the space, as well as in its built form.
The temporary nature of Stackt is the element that is greatly celebrated. This past October, Stackt was awarded Fast Company’s 2021 Innovation by Design Award for Retail. It was praised for its versatility, unique offerings and impressive foot traffic. Given that Stackt’s current lease with the city expires in 2023, the market itself can also be relocated.
The visionary behind Stackt is Matt Rubinoff, who approached Build Toronto (now operating as CreateTO) with the idea while the lands were in our purview (I was working there at the time). Today the market has a strong mandate to support local art, music, social enterprise, and cultural communities. Although temporary, the magic of this place is its ephemeral nature and in wanting to experience something that may soon change.
This site has seen its share of change.
At one point it was home to industrial operations, including a lead smelting facility, and was earmarked for the Front Street Extension, which was proposed to alleviate Gardiner traffic. In the last 10 years, it was transferred to Build Toronto (now operating as CreateTO), which created mixed use development plans for the site, led by an exceptional developer Salima Rawji. Today, the site is slated for future park space, and Stackt is currently operating on a temporary basis.
As demands for our physical spaces change, I’m eager to reflect on how we view and participate in them. Back in 2012, I was hosting community meetings with our Build Toronto team to gather input on the site’s development plans, and writing articles about the economic development opportunities for the community and the city. Today, I’m purchasing art for my home from Cry Baby Gallery and attending a local DJ event in that same space, while writing about a different experience altogether.
As our spaces adapt and continue to evolve, there’s beauty and excitement in reveling in what we have now before it inevitably changes. The Stackt Market Holiday Hills is on until December 31, 2021, and they have just opened up GoldInn, their new rooftop double decker – it’s worth a visit.
