What started out as a lunch concept to provide quick and tasty options for those in the downtown Troy area turned into something much more than that. Pop-up @ 4 W. Main is now a unique event venue offering a versatile space, licensed satellite kitchen, and gathering spot for events of up to 49 people.
Karen Boone, who runs the business alongside Jessica Minesinger, says the idea for such a space popped up in 2018, when the spot was known at Lunch @ 4 W. Main. “Troy didn’t have many restaurants that were serving lunch that you could get in and out of in less than 30 minutes,” she says. “Until early spring of 2020, we worked with local food truck vendors to serve lunch from 11am-2pm. Every day was a different vendor and a different menu, it was fun, delicious, and successful.”
Then came the onset of COVID, and the need to pivot wasn’t just an idea, it was a necessity. Boone and the team behind 4 W. Main needed to look at revenue sources and the changes that were thrust upon the community. More restaurants were opening up in Troy and there was a growing demand for pop-up shops and private events that could offer additional revenue.
“In the fall of 2021, we rebranded as the Pop-up @ 4 W. Main,” she says. “We’re an all-inclusive venue where you can eat, party, or shop, depending on the day. We continue to offer pop-up lunches and dinner with some of our favorite vendors.”
Boone says that the pop-ups serve as a way for them to support small, locally-owned businesses that don’t have their own storefront. “When you use our space as a business, you get to set-up shop and sell you goods as if the space was your own,” she says. “Downtown Troy has a lot of foot traffic, so it’s a cost-effective way to advertise your business and sell your creative products.”
The space can also be used for private events, which started out as just a side thought. However, they thought, if they had the space they might as well use it and cater to the needs of those wanted to host a small private event. “We have a great location with easy access, and we make your event simple – you provide the food and the people, and we provide the venue,” she ads.
There are a variety of events that can be hosted at the Pop-up @ 4 W. Main, including pop-up food vendors, pop-up shops, business meetings, dinner parties, graduations, bridal and baby showers, workshops, photographers, book clubs, study groups, and exercises classes to name a few. “You dream it, this space can accommodate it,” adds Boone.
As a return to normalcy continues, Boone says that more interest in using the space as grown. “There’s been interest in using the space as a small, intimate music venue,” she says. “We’re excited to see if that works out. We are always open to creative, new ideas for our space.”
To learn more about the Pop-up @ 4 W. Main, visit https://www.popuptroy.com. You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about events on their calendar.