Entrepreneurs who've been selling at pop-up markets or online can now test a physical storefront in downtown Farmington through a new 90-day residency program run by the Farmington Downtown Development Authority.

The program is called The Retail LAB, short for Launch and Build. It offers selected businesses a storefront at 23607 Farmington Rd., in the heart of the downtown district, for 90 days with no long-term lease commitment. According to the DDA's program page, the incubator targets makers, artisans, and specialty retailers offering merchandise-based hardgoods such as apparel, home goods, gifts, art, and vintage items.

The DDA has not published rent amounts, application deadlines, or the number of residency slots available per cycle. Interested entrepreneurs can find the application at downtownfarmington.org.

The Retail LAB's inaugural resident is already open for business. The Lowry Estate, a vintage and designer resale boutique, began its residency June 27. Founder Corliss Elizabeth Williams, a Metro Detroit creative director, built the brand over 11 years through pop-ups at Brooklyn Flea in New York and Eastern Market in Detroit before landing in Farmington. The shop carries clothing and accessories spanning the 1970s to the present, mixing vintage finds with designer pieces.

This isn't the DDA's first experiment with the incubator model. In January 2022, DDA Director Kate Knight partnered with the owner of the temporarily shuttered Browndog Barlor to use that storefront as a small-business incubator on a 90-day lease. Knight tapped Nakija Mills, creator of Lekker Chóco Treats, for that initial run. The Retail LAB formalizes the concept into a standing program with its own dedicated space and application process.

The program is open to applicants on a rolling basis, according to the DDA website. Applications are available at downtownfarmington.org under the "About Us" section.