COLUMBUS, OH, June 8, 2022 — PopCom’s founder and CEO, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene, announces a new location to the PopShop Local Program with the installation of a robotic pop-up shop in John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Columbus, Ohio. This newest machine is PopCom’s first airport location, and it joins seven other venues across the U.S. You can find a PopShop in premier venues such as the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, the Metreon in San Francisco, and the iconic New York Hilton Midtown. PopShop Local is also available in Hawaii, Dallas, and Cleveland.
PopShop Local CMH makes it simple for Columbus-based entrepreneurs to sell their products in the airport and for travelers to discover local businesses they might not have discovered otherwise. Typically, retailers looking for airport placement must complete a procurement application and pay a monthly fee for space. The process and costs are significantly reduced when using PopShop Local. Retailers pay a flat monthly fee to rent space in the robotic pop-up shop, and PopCom handles all of the paperwork, such as lease requirements, insurance, and inventory fulfillment.
“We believe we’re giving small businesses everywhere, especially e-commerce brands, an alternative solution to enter the brick and mortar retail space. It’s less risky, less expensive, and overall more efficient to sell through PopShop Local than it is to open up a store of your own,” says Natasia Malaihollo, the VP of Business Development for PopCom.
The launch of PopShop Local CMH comes as travel demand remains strong, giving entrepreneurs the potential to reach millions of travelers each year. With its commitment to working with diverse local businesses, CMH is a perfect fit for the company’s first airport location.
Are you a small business owner ready to gain new customers and grow brand recognition in a high-traffic location without incurring the costs and manpower of a traditional retail store? To be eligible for a machine, your brand must be based in one of the seven available locations or have a founder from the specified city. Those who have an office, headquarters, or manufacturing facility in the city are also eligible. Please submit your application at https://www.popcom.shop/local#GetFeatured.
PopShop Local is rapidly expanding, with several locations currently accepting new brands:
- Columbus at Polaris Mall or Fairfield Inn
- Cleveland at Tower City
- New York at Hilton Midtown
- Los Angeles at The Beverly Center or Del Amo Fashion Center
- Frisco, Texas at Stonebriar Centre
About PopCom & PopShop Local
Founded in 2017, PopCom has developed future-facing solutions for the merging of technology and consumer data collection. The vending machines provide online commerce sites with the opportunity to take advantage of in-person sales. Their mission is to help equip entrepreneurs and brands with future-ready retail solutions to promote rapid retail expansion, provide incredible customer experiences, and gather powerful sales data. The PopShop Local Program connects brands with high-spending consumers that are already looking for local goods in hotels, convention centers, airports, malls, and other high-traffic areas. Get your local products featured in the world’s most advanced autonomous retail machine with end-to-end contactless experience.
For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact Jared Korinko at [email protected].
About Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene
Channeling a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit, boundary-pushing fearlessness, and innate understanding of the nexus of technology, commerce, and culture, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene consistently catapults the companies and brands under her purview. At the helm of multiple cash flow positive businesses and over 20 years of experience in the industry, the Ohio-born entrepreneur, inventor, angel investor, and speaker has emerged as a consumer thought leader in her own right. She has founded five successful companies since 2001, including PopCom and is considered to be a pioneer in the equity crowdfunding space. With the creation of PopCom, Dawn has successfully bridged the gap between e-commerce and vending machines while continuing a legacy of innovation and invention.
