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Oct 17, 2024

CJ Hendry's Flower Market's Venue Pivot | BizBash

When CJ Hendry's art installation on Roosevelt Island was shut down mid-event, the popular contemporary artist had to relocate the pop-up overnight—with the help of Industry City's Box Factory. NEW

When CJ Hendry's art installation on Roosevelt Island was shut down mid-event, the popular contemporary artist had to relocate the pop-up overnight—with the help of Industry City's Box Factory.

NEW YORK—When Australian contemporary artist CJ Hendry’s highly anticipated fabric flower pop-up was shut down by the NYPD due to overcrowding, quick thinking and swift action saved the day—and a late-night pivot to a new venue allowed the installation to keep blooming.

The popular artist’s three-day event kicked off on Sept. 13 at Roosevelt Island’s FDR Four Freedoms State Park and featured fabric flowers of 21 different varieties. Admission was free, and visitors could pick their first plush flower at no cost, with subsequent purchases priced at $5 each. The flowers were wrapped in floral paper and tied with a ribbon, creating a whimsical experience that mirrored the feel of a traditional flower shop.

Hendry's "flowers" are made of metal and wiring covered with a soft, plush material. The installation was a partnership with Japanese beauty brand Clé de Peau Beauté.Photo: Courtesy of CJ HendryThe pop-up's success was immediate. Crowds of art lovers flocked to the event—and that’s where the trouble began. On the second day, more than 5,000 people arrived within the first hour, overwhelming the park’s resources and forcing a shutdown.

Enter: Industry City’s Box Factory.

Jim Somoza, managing director of Industry City, was watching TV on that Saturday morning when he got a message from one of his staffers, whose girlfriend had noticed Hendry’s urgent social media posts about needing a new location. He immediately saw an opportunity to not only rescue the exhibition, but also to showcase Industry City’s ability to accommodate last-minute, large-scale events.

"The expectations that we have set up here at Industry City is that we can do these things right," said Somoza in a recent interview with BizBash. “At IC, we have a culture of ‘we can do it, we can do it fast, we can figure it out.'”

Somoza started by doing some research on the event, mainly through social media—learning about the event’s history, audience, prior successes, and potential challenges. “I quickly looked at videos of the event to learn more about who was coming. I thought, ‘These folks are coming to buy plushy flowers—not to rave. I don’t have a lot of concern!” he said with a laugh.

He quickly contacted Hendry via Instagram. “I knew our biggest event space wasn’t being used that weekend, so I DMed CJ Hendry on Instagram and introduced myself. I said, ‘I think I can help you. Here’s my cell number,’” he remembers. “Her team called me right away.”

With the help of Industry City’s production team, the artist was able to swiftly transition her pop-up to the nearly 19,000-square-foot Box Factory event space. Its spacious interior with high ceilings, oversize windows, and a flexible layout was able to accommodate both the installation and Hendry’s robust fan base—and because of Industry City’s campus-sized offering, the last-minute change occurred without disrupting other events and operations across the 35-acre complex. Industry City has a courtyard near the Box Factory venue that could easily accommodate the event’s long queue. “We thought, ‘Let’s be really safe and wide open about this, to make sure nobody feels squished or like there’s a dangerous situation with overcrowding,'” Somoza said. “At one point, there was almost a three-hour line; I walked it and didn’t hear a single complaint, which is really a testament to CJ and her fans.”Photo: Courtesy of CJ Hendry

“The important thing was making sure we had insurance and indemnity, and we got through all that really quickly,” explained Somoza. “They already had their own staffers and a cleaning crew, and they weren’t serving food or alcohol, which made everything a lot easier.” (Industry City also has its own 24/7 security, cleaning crews, and property managers, all of whom Somoza was sure to alert about the last-minute change.)

Somoza met Hendry’s team at Industry City around 8 p.m. on Sept. 14. He showed them the space and signed a contract, and then load-in began. “CJ herself was on the floor putting everything together with 100,000 flowers,” he said. “They worked through the night. It was great to watch.” Within just 10 to 12 hours, the exhibit was ready to go. “I don’t know any other venue that could have done that. We’re used to big events and quick pivots,” Somoza said. “My quiet weekend took a turn for the better!”Photo: Courtesy of CJ Hendry

Hendry promoted the venue change via social media—and by the morning of Sept. 15, the crowds had already descended on the flower market’s new location. “I came back the next morning and there was already a line of 1,000 people. We ended up getting 5,000 additional people to Industry City that we wouldn’t have, which was a great thing for us—and CJ was able to finish her show,” said Somoza. “I’m so happy we were able to help with that, and her team couldn’t have been more of a pleasure to work with.”

In fact, the venue even extended its closing time to accommodate the overwhelming demand. “We let them stay open later than planned until all their flowers sold out,” Somoza noted. “It was a really nice team-building, problem-solving moment. I think it’s important for us as an event venue and as landlords to remember that we’re also in the hospitality business.” "Industry City for Sunday was a great shift because it's this creative hub, and it gave the final day a different vibe—more industrial, more grounded, but still very much alive," Hendry told architecture and design publication Dezeen.Photo: Courtesy of CJ Hendry

The event also drew new visitors to Industry City’s eclectic campus. “You could see people with bouquets in their hands or with flowers sticking out of their backpacks as they checked out our bars, our comic shop, and the rest of the campus," he said. "It was great!"

Located in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood, the mixed-use Industry City campus spans 6 million square feet of waterfront space and is home to more than 550 businesses. There’s also a slew of event spaces: In addition to Box Factory, those include Five-Two-A, which holds up to 600 people; Camp David, which holds 250; The Gallery, which holds 150; and The Annex, which holds 300. Industry City's industrial Box Factory seats 600 or holds as many as 1,200 for standing receptions.Photo: Courtesy of Industry City

The campus also includes three outdoor courtyards with regularly programmed arts and cultural events—and Somoza always encourages Industry City’s in-house events team to get creative and be flexible. “We have so many different ways to do things, and spaces people might not even think of as event spaces, like our streets. Many requests don’t fit neatly into the spaces we already have set up—but instead of saying we can’t accommodate it, we try to pull in these outdoor spaces.”

He added, “It’s really important for me, as a leader, to show people what we can do. Something like the CJ Hendry event really energizes our team, our tenants, and our vendors, and encourages them to start thinking outside the box.” The Industry City campus hosts approximately 1,000 events each year, ranging from live performances and block parties to weddings and corporate events.Photo: Courtesy of Industry City

Up next for Industry City? House of Yes’ massive City of Gods Halloween event, which takes over the campus Oct. 25-26. The multilevel, indoor-outdoor music festival has a curated selection of Burning Man camps and experiences, plus interactive art moments and more than 10 stages of music. Tickets can be purchased here.