Grand opening tonight for Temporium, a pop-up shop on H Street in DC

The Temporium is a pop-up shop which is celebrating its grand opening tonight! The Temporium is the result of an initiative of the District of Columbia government’s Office of Planning to find revitalizing uses for empty spaces in the city. The Temporium is housed in the former R. L. Christian Library in NE. The library closed in 2008, and the Temporium is an attempt to prove this space and the H Street corridor as a viable retail area in D.C. Philippa Hughes, founder of the Pink Line Project, partnered with the D.C. Office of Planning to turn the library into a pop-up shop for local designers and artists to showcase their products. Pop-up shops are quickly becoming a trend, but this is the first of its kind in the D.C. area.

The Temporium will feature live musical performances on the weekends and wifi lounge to entice people to spend their time and money there. Tonight, DJ Obeyah will be providing music for the grand opening. Performances on Saturday night start at 6pm and feature Will Rast, Alex Vans, and DJ MikeBolo. The Moonshine Society will be bringing down the house starting at 2pm on Sunday. You can find out about more events here, such as upcoming trunk shows and parties.

Designer Goods on the Fire Hose Wall (photo credit: Alison Goldberg)

The Temporium will be featuring goods from at least 8 local designers, and there is something for everyone! Menswear designers Derringer Friday, Hugh & Crye, and Bill Johnson will be selling ties, pocket squares, fitted dress shirts, and unique slacks. Accessories like handbags, jewlery, and scarves from de*nada and Artistic AYA will be for sale. There will also be a selection of apparel from Artistic AYA, UesaGoods, Kristi Love, and Dopeville. You are guaranteed to find something handmade and one-of-kind from a local designer, not an easy task!

Unique Light Fixture at the Temporium (Photo Credit: Alison Goldberg)

The space has been transformed by the local artists of AM Radio and Albus Calvus. The formerly yellow exterior is now covered in bright and colorful cloud shapes, and the bathrooms are exciting too! The interior is filled with repurposed materials like display tables of antique furniture with raw pieces of wood, a wall of woven fire hoses, and a one of a kind brass fixture chandelier. The interior, full with designer goods, is sure to be a dynamic space where you will want to spend some time and money.

The Temporium will be open from July 23rd until August 15th. The hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 6 to 10 PM, Saturdays from 2 to 10 PM, and Sundays from 12 to 5 PM. Local businesses are offering deals to Temporium customers to help attract people.