IU grads launch pop-up stores on college campuses

After graduating only two years ago from the Kelley School of Business, two alumni found a way to fulfill their college aspirations and make their careers cross paths by collaborating on one of the hottest new trends in marketing: pop-up stores.

David Oestreicher and Jamie Schieken met their freshman year playing a pickup game of basketball at the HPER. The two rapidly became good friends with a mutual interest for pursuing their dreams in the business world.

But Schieken wanted to pursue a career in the fashion world while Oestreicher’s love for sports and marketing would lead him in another direction.

“We had a real passion to work together down the road,” Oestreicher said. “We thought about different ideas day and night.”

Upon graduating, Oestreicher accepted a position with American Collegiate Intramural Sports in New York City, where the job allowed him to utilize his marketing talent by connecting brands with college students involved in intramural sports.

Schieken, on the other hand, accepted a position with Perry Ellis in Miami, where he began cultivating his fashion career.

In 2008, Oestreicher and Schieken said they began working on an idea together for their respective companies. They drove their idea from their own desks to the desks of their CEOs and molded a national college marketing campaign that reached 100 universities and set up pop-up stores on 20 different campuses.

Pop-up stores are temporary booths that allow companies to tap into the college student market through experimental marketing. It’s a marketing trend that is becoming increasingly popular and prevalent on college campuses.

Oestreicher said that the approach allowed the Perry Ellis Original Penguin brand to reach out to the college student market.

In addition, the stores gave students discounts and were allied with local organizations in an effort to aid the community.

Schieken, who had the opportunity to travel around to different campuses to experience the pop-up stores, said that he was very proud of what he and Oestreicher were able to accomplish within a year of graduation.

“I am proud to have made an impact with something that we had brainstormed together,” Schieken said.

Both Oestreicher and Schieken credit a lot of their success to what they learned during their experience together as Kelley students.

Laura Buccholz, Kelley school marketing professor, said she knew that there was talent in Oestreicher early on and was surprised to hear that he was able to recall specific details about a class presentation from years ago during a phone conversation they recently had.

“He was a good student who always thought everything through and took his time,” Buccholz said. “He was also very good at paying attention in order to market to a specific target market.”

Schieken shared similar characteristics in the classroom.

Business professor Joe Denekamp taught Schieken at Kelley and witnessed his entrepreneurial spirit in the classroom.

“He was all focused on the things he really wanted to do,” Denekamp said. “He wanted to take charge of his own education.”

While it remains to be seen what Oestreicher and Schieken will decide to pursue in the future, they made it clear that they both want students to learn from their example and make the most of their opportunities.

“Take advantage of the resources available at your fingertips,” Oestreicher said. “You have a chance at IU to be surrounded by people with the same passion, goals and drive.”