Melbourne is riding a pop up store wave and the Eco Innovators Showcase is about as ‘pop up’ as a pop up shop can get.

In the morning: one unremarkable, poster-plastered news stand pillar standing innocently on Swanston Street.

In the afternoon: the pillar has been transformed, Tardis-like, into a shop stocking over 25 Melbourne made, eco-designed and eco-produced items. Leyla Acaroglu is the brains behind Eco Innovators Showcase, one of two winners of City of Melbourne’s recent City Pillar Challenge which encourages young entrepreneurs to revamp old pillars into sustainable small businesses. I literally stumbled across the shop on my way to the gym and took great delight in inspecting all the goodies hanging up and spilling out onto the pavement, including jewellery, homewares, books, cards and the famous KeepCup.

(Photograph thanks to Leyla Acaroglu of Eco Innovators Showcase)

My pick of the shop is  Martha Goes Green, a beautifully produced cookbook containing over fifty vegetarian recipes from Rosie Percival and Ruth Friedlander, two young food authors. I loved the collection of delectable images, the feel of the recycled paper and especially the adorable book bag made from fair trade cotton.

Eco Innovators Showcase is open Monday – Fridays from 11am to 3pm and it will be around until the end of April with a regular turnover of new stock. If you can’t get to the CBD, you can also buy their goods online.

While you’re in the city, why not check out some other pop up stores that I’ve reviewed – <insert name here> and Baker D Chirico. If that’s not enough, here’s a list of even more fashion pop up stores that have sprung up for your shopping enjoyment.

• Eco Innovators Showcase, Cnr Little Collins and Swanston St, Melbourne

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