When Libby Callaway, founder and principal of content and communications firm The Callaway, floated her idea for Greetings From Nashville, a pop-up market in Brooklyn featuring Nashville brands, to her local clients and creator friends, she was shocked by how many brands wanted to be involved.
“That’s not because I didn’t think it was a good idea, I just figured it was a new thing and people usually hold back,” she says. The positive response spurred Callaway to curate products from 40 companies, five of which are Tennessee beauty brands, and bring them to the trendy Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg this month.
Among the hand-forged jewelry, bespoke leather jackets and colorful ceramics, shoppers will find nail polishes from Aila Cosmetics, soaps and scrubs from Little Seed Farm, face oils from Lemon Laine and hemp salves from CBD product purveyor Yuyo Botanics. Callaway says, “Some people did exclusives for us, some people did limited-edition pieces, and other people did just their bestselling stock pieces that they wanted to really show off.”
The pop-up’s objective is to introduce Nashville’s creative community to Brooklyn. “For the past 10 years, my work has been focused on figuring out how to tell the stories of Nashville brands and get the word out about them to the national and international communities,” says Callaway, a former fashion journalist now living in the country music capital. “I want people to realize that Nashville has this whole maker and creative community—that there is more than music coming out of the city. There’s a style scene. A design scene. A flourishing beauty scene.”
For Eileen Ray, who founded Little Seed Farm with her husband James, taking part in Greetings From Nashville was a no-brainer. “It’s such a unique way to bring Nashville to Brooklyn and the world of travelers visiting the Wythe,” she says. “And, while it’s a great business opportunity, it’s also an amazing chance to reach new customers and create brand awareness.”
Laura Lemon, founder of Nashville green beauty retailer Lemon Laine, was initially hesitant. “We’re generally pretty weary of the concept of pop-ups because we lose a bit of control in shaping the overall customer experience, but we trust the taste of The Callaway and couldn’t be more glad to be a part this one,” she says. “Plus, our second biggest following outside of Nashville is New York, so it’s really fun for fans of our store to experience a piece of Lemon Laine in their own city.” Lemon concocted a special hydrating facial oil blend for the event.
The Callaway charged brands participating in the pop-up a flat $500 buy-in fee, and Callaway says they will take a home a “generous portion” of the proceeds. The pop-up is partially underwritten by the city of Nashville.
“I want people to realize that Nashville has this whole maker and creative community—that there is more than music coming out of the city. There’s a style scene. A design scene. A flourishing beauty scene.”
“I intentionally made it very accessible,” says Callaway. “Some people will make money, some people will not. Some people will break even. But we’re having the biggest editors in fashion and beauty and lifestyle and food and culture in to see what’s happening, so the exposure that they’re getting is unbelievable.”
The pop-up should assist participants with brand recognition. The Wythe boasts a 95% to 98% occupancy rate for the month of October, which means foot traffic at the property is bustling, giving the pop-up an audience of tourists as well as New Yorkers. Callaway says, “Of course, the goal is always for people to make money, but for the brands involved, including The Callaway, this is mainly a branding exercise.” Aila founder Cary Gannon agrees, saying, “It’s not so much about making a sale, it is about building new relationships in new locations.”
So far, Yuyo Botanics co-founder Amanda Matsui has been pleased with her experience at Greetings From Nashville. “The response to our products has been incredible. It’s awesome to see how interested and involved people are getting with plant-based wellness,” she says. “There really is a want and a need for alternative ways to feel good. Sometimes just a simple conversation can dispel a lot of myths about the hemp industry, and we are excited to share this information with those attending the pop-up.”
Greetings From Nashville has been almost two years in the making. Its development can be traced back to a trip Callaway took to Brooklyn to support a friend involved in a different pop-up at the Wythe. The hotel has hosted temporary retail events at its concept store called The Shop since 2013 and rotates vendors monthly.
“I was telling the people at the hotel, who were just the most lovely people in the world, that I had some clients that might be a good fit for that space,” recounts Callaway. “And they said, ‘Well, you know, maybe what you could do is curate a whole Nashville shop.’ So, that’s when the idea started, and it grew from there.” Callaway’s pop-up is the first geographically-based concept for The Shop.
“There really is a want and a need for alternative ways to feel good. Sometimes just a simple conversation can dispel a lot of myths about the hemp industry, and we are excited to share this information with those attending the pop-up.”
Greetings From Nashville is Callaway’s first out-of-town pop-up, but she has organized similar collections for the Nashville hotel Noelle. “It has a store called Keep Shop that I curate, and the concept is largely the same in that it is a focus on local Nashville brands—showing the best of them, allowing the people in the store to help tell the story of these brands and hopefully educate a new consumer on what’s happening in Nashville,” she says. “I really took a lot of the playbook that we created at Keep Shop and applied it up here.”
A crucial element of the playbook is highlighting the people behind brands. “That’s the big draw of these products,” says Callaway. Pointing to Yuyo Botanics, she continues, “Their CBD products are literally made by two women who live on a hemp farm right outside of Nashville and make it themselves and have this really personal story that’s very special.”
The pop-ups, however, are still works in progress. Callaway learns from each event and adds to the playbook. She mentions, for instance, that she wanted Little Seed Farm to go heavy on soap for Greetings From Nashville, but the Rays favored leaning on their strong performers, facial oil and deodorant. “They really pushed me to sell their bestsellers, and it’s proven to have paid off. We’ve sold facial serums. I didn’t think we would,” says Callaway. “The lesson there, if you’re a brand, is just to push for what you know your consumer wants.”
The early success of Greetings From Nashville at the Wythe has encouraged Callaway to try it in other cities. “We’ve already had offers from people to take it on the road. People have mentioned London, Chicago, St. Louis, and we’ve always thought about LA.” So, would Nashville brands do it again? Matsui says, “Absolutely. What’s more fun than throwing a little shopping party with your friends and peers?”
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