Downtown Farmington's bet on a pop-up-to-permanent retail model is showing early signs of life.

The Lowry Estate, a vintage and designer resale boutique at 23607 Farmington Road, is drawing strong foot traffic roughly six weeks into its 90-day run as the first tenant of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority's Retail LAB incubator program, according to local reporting citing the Detroit News. The shop opened June 27 and will occupy the space through mid-September.

Owner Corliss Elizabeth Williams founded The Lowry Estate in 2015 in Brooklyn, New York, growing it through the Brooklyn Flea and Eastern Market before returning to Metro Detroit. The boutique carries clothing and accessories spanning the 1970s to present, mixing vintage finds with high-end designer and rare pieces at accessible price points.

"Seeing women walk around downtown Farmington with my shopping bags and the dresses that I've been selling, it's just amazing," Williams told CBS Detroit on July 28, about a month after opening. "Whether they're looking for just something to wear or a complete closet overhaul, they leave here with huge smiles on their faces."

The Retail LAB, short for Launch And Build, gives entrepreneurs a 90-day lease in a brick-and-mortar space to build a customer following before committing to a permanent location. DDA Executive Director Jess Westendorf told CBS Detroit on July 28 that the program is "an incubator for retailers" that lets them "test a storefront in a vibrant main street without committing to a long-term lease."

The DDA board unanimously approved the program at its April 8 meeting. To secure the space, the DDA partnered with the owner of a former law office at 23607 Farmington Road, renovating the front portion into a blank retail space and subleasing it in short-term increments. Only one business occupies the storefront at a time, and the DDA's Business Development Committee vets applicants based on readiness and fit for the downtown mix.

The concept isn't new for Farmington. In 2022, the DDA ran a similar 90-day pop-up at the temporarily closed Browndog Barlor, where chocolatier Nakija Mills of Lekker Choco Treats tested her business before it grew into a recurring downtown presence.

As we reported July 22, the Retail LAB launched with Williams as its inaugural tenant. A second tenant is planned for September, and the storefront is booked for the rest of 2026. The DDA is accepting applications for 2027 and anticipates keeping the program running downtown for a couple of years.

The Lowry Estate is open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Williams' 90-day window closes around mid-September.