kaili cochran
Words by Kaili Cochran
We’ve all dabbled in the basics of entrepreneurship as kids — whether running a lemonade stand with siblings or hosting a bake sale. I remember being 11 when my sister and I set up a booth at a local market, selling DIY slime in Tupperware. Bright colors, glitter — you name it, we had it.
While 904 Pop-up might not have lemonade stands or slime-crafting kids, it does promote real entrepreneurs. It’s a space for those who are making their mark in the community, offering handmade goods to locals from locals.
904 Pop-up was founded by entrepreneur Mark Braddock in 2019 and has grown into a major event at the Seawalk Pavilion. Once a month, this event attracts thousands of people to explore hundreds of vendors and sample locally-owned food trucks.
Braddock created the pop-up after spending 15 years running 8103 Clothing, using his experience to help independent artists and entrepreneurs network and increase awareness while continuing to grow his brand.
“This is my community project,” Braddock said. “It’s something that you really don’t have to ask what it means, and it’s really just a huge celebration of local entrepreneurs, small businesses, and everyone coming together here as a big community in Jacksonville.”
Within the first six months of its establishment, the pop-up grew from only 10 vendors to over 200. Beyond helping connect local businesses with the community, the attraction from the event is an economic driver that helps grow permanent businesses in the surrounding area as well.
“It’s a big claim, but I would say the 904 pop-up is the biggest pop-up in the entire state of Florida,” Braddock said. “It’s going viral for Jacksonville and it’s putting our city on the map for being the entrepreneurial hub of the South.”
But Braddock’s project doesn’t stop in Jacksonville. When he bought the 904 Pop-up, he also bought the entities to the 407 Pop-up (Orlando), 813 Pop-up (Tampa), and 305 Pop-up (Miami).
In the future, you can expect more pop-ups throughout these areas in Florida, all promoting small businesses to help them flourish with Braddock to thank.
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