How We Built the First MARU+BO Pop-Up (For Real)
Opening our first MARU+BO pop-up in ALEJA Ljubljana sounded simple: find a space, bring clothes, make it pretty, sell. Reality? Numerous extra steps, a few mini panic attacks, and one child who used a pile of knitwear as a trampoline. For a small sustainable kids clothing brand, this shop is more than a till—it’s our kidswear finally meeting real kids in real life.
A Small Space for Real Life
The unit looked small. But MARU+BO isn’t a department store brand; we design children’s clothing for bike seats, playgrounds, and living rooms turned obstacle courses. So we asked: how do we make it easy for a parent with five minutes, and fun for a child with limitless energy?
Layout Tetris & a Play Corner
Rails by size. Outfits grouped into mix-and-match capsules. Fabrics at arm’s reach, because our story starts when you touch them. Kids ignored the styled table and claimed the play corner (blocks + KOYAA). It became a negotiation zone, base camp for parents, and a live test lab for comfy, durable children’s clothes.
First Reactions
A child ran out of the fitting room and refused to take off their sweatshirt. We learned: parents will size up in room-to-grow fits when the fabric feels right; kids pick colours adults wouldn’t; the “nice in photos” look isn’t always the “wear all day” one—and we value the second.
