2022 RTIH Innovation Awards winner Sook touches down in Islington Square, north London

Sook, which takes vacant retail spaces and gives them a modular, digital fit-out which can be rented by the hour, has landed in Islington Square, a place in north London to eat, drink and shop which is situated in an old postal sorting office.

This is Sook’s sixth opening in London.

In a LinkedIn post, the company said: “This is our sleekest space yet, boasting floor to ceiling windows, boutique style warm wooden flooring and art gallery-esque adjustable lighting.”

“This space will be one to watch; we can’t wait to see how brands transform it to showcase themselves alongside some wonderful neighbours including Anthropologie, A.P.C., Meghan's Restaurant, Third Space and JIJI.”

“With a grand total of 554,000 catchment residents and 21,000 workers within a ten minute walk, this prosperous, trendy and cosmopolitan area is the perfect place to put your brand on the map. Available to book now from April onwards.”

2022 RTIH Innovation Awards

Sook emerged victorious at the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards in December, picking up the Bricks and Mortar Innovation gong.

Our 2022 winners were revealed at a sold out event in central London on Tuesday, 6th December.

Our judging panel said of Sook: “There aren’t many things more depressing than empty shops on a high street, especially when it’s at odds with the number of innovative SMEs desperate for a bricks and mortar base to interact with customers.”

“Sook realised this demand for physical space hadn’t gone away, it just needed to solve the disconnect between brands and landlords while making it quick, easy and cost-effective for those brands to create a bespoke space.”

“As well as enhancing local communities and economies with these immersive pop-ups, it gathers analytics for its occupiers, allowing them to best understand how to use physical space as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

“Sook also claims to have placed great importance on sustainability with its offsite modular construction typically producing 30% less CO2 compared to a traditional shop fit and powering all its units using 100% renewable energy providers.”

“Finally, it’s not just SMEs working with the company – Uber, Mastercard, Facebook, SumUp, Hard Rock, Tik Tok, Jagermeister, Depop and Raspberry Pi all have also sought it out as a solution for enabling physical spaces to thrive via innovative technology.”

RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, said: “Innovation and technology play a critical role in the success of the retail sector, so it is great to recognise standout examples through our awards.”

“Thanks to all those who entered the 2022 event. We received a record number of submissions and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.”

“Congratulations to our 2022 retail technology hall of fame entrants.”