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Boxyard RTP awaits four retail businesses to each fulfill a six-month residency in PopBox beginning in August 2025. POPBOX APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED.

Timeline

November 1, 2024 | Applications open at 8:30am
January 10 | Applications close at 11:59pm
January 22 | Applicants notified of their status
February 17-28 | Interviews with finalists
March 10 | Finalists notified
June 2025 | Public Announcement of the 2025-2027 Cohort 

PopBox logo

COHORT #4 APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED.

Boxyard RTP is looking to welcome experiential retail businesses to fulfill a six-month residency in PopBox starting August 2025.

PopBox is a 320-square-foot space within the Boxyard RTP development that hosts pop-up style shops on a rotating basis. Coupled with a $6,750 micro-grant from NC IDEA and the Research Triangle Foundation, PopBox is designed to give small businesses exposure to the brick-and-mortar environment with the tools they need to be successful.

This program began in 2021 with the mission to propel small businesses back into the market amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Since inception, we have seen 11 small businesses come through our program.

Brought to Boxyard RTP in partnership with

Currently at PopBox: Disco Differences

Disco Differences

Disco Differences is a vintage and secondhand shop established in 2022 by two passionate women. Megan Snow, a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist in North Carolina, and Emily Wall, a licensed K-12 Special Educator and Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Special Education at UNC Charlotte, have combined their expertise and vision to create an inclusive business. With extensive experience working with individuals with disabilities, Megan and Emily are committed to fostering education, advocacy, and community integration opportunities. Disco Differences welcomes everyone and strives to promote a sense of belonging for individuals regardless of diagnoses.

2024-2025 Popbox Grant Recipients

Layla Christie, Owner of Gold Clover Company
Layla Christie, Owner of Gold Clover Company
Adanna Omeni, Owner of 1 Blossom 2 Bloom
Adanna Omeni, Owner of 1 Blossom 2 Bloom
Emily Wall and Megan Snow, Owners of Disco Differences
Emily Wall and Megan Snow, Owners of Disco Differences

2022-2023 Popbox Grant Recipients

Tianna Dean, Founder and CEO of Hummingbird Candle Co.
Aaron Wan and Garret, Founders of Second Hand Concession Stand
Sonali Sethi, Owner and Designer of perSONALIty Designs
Megan Shawkey, Owner of The Tatted Potter

2021-2022 Popbox Grant Recipients

Haley Bunting, Founder of Thirteen West
Skye Ordonez, Founder of SkyeLight Living
Mavis Gragg, Co-Founder of Pop Box Gallery
Laura Ritchie, Co-Founder of Pop Box Gallery
Laura Ritchie, Co-Founder of Pop Box Gallery
Erica Vogel, Founder of Be Like Missy