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Dundee businesses urged to take a chance on Keiller Centre

Local entrepreneurs are being encouraged to launch 'pop-up' shops at the city centre shopping complex.

By Laura Devlin

October 6 2024, 7:00am

Kathryn Rattray in some of the space available to pop up businesses, The Keiller Centre. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Dundee businesses are being encouraged to launch ‘pop-up’ shops at the Keiller Centre as the shopping arcade looks to utilise its empty units.

The 1970s shopping complex has faced difficult times in recent years and in 2023 a report commissioned by Dundee City Council branded it “low quality”.

However, earlier this year the centre was sold to new owners in a deal worth £750,000.

Now gallery owner Kathryn Rattray, who runs the site, has urged local entrepreneurs to take chance on a pop-up premises between now and the end of the year.

“The Keiller Centre embodies a new way of thinking”, she said.

“It’s not just about selling products on the high street, it’s about creating experiences that resonate with people.”

Kathryn Rattray and Penny Muirhead, who runs Penny’s Pop Up Cafe on Wednesdays as a social enterprise. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

She added: “In my two and half years in the Keiller Centre, it has taught me that taking calculated risks can lead to incredible opportunities.

“Taking a risk with a pop-up shop isn’t just about selling products—it’s about celebrating your business, engaging with your community, and setting the stage for long-term growth.

“The Keiller Centre offers the perfect environment to explore these opportunities, with affordable flexible leases and a supportive community.”

Some of the space available to pop up businesses. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Decline from 1980s heyday

The shopping arcade was bustling with businesses in the 1980s but has since seen decades of decline.

But in recent years it has become a location for arts events, starting with Dundee Design Festival in 2019.

Most recently it hosted The Evening Telegraph’s Dundonian photo exhibition.

Photographers Esther Farrell and Ben Douglas planning their exhibition in one of the units. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

The Dundonian Exhibition, curated by the Evening Telegraph, has brought hundreds of people back to the Keiller Centre

A similar photography project is also running for the duration of October.

This initiative will see the three galleries within the Keiller Centre join forces to deliver exhibitions showcasing the work of local photographers.

In addition to the exhibitions, ‘photography month’ will also offer a variety of workshops tailored to different skill levels.

A pop-up photography studio will also be launched, allowing participants to learn how to shoot in a professional photography studio setting, with guidance from experienced instructors.