Ariana Grande fans showed up in waves on the first day of her exclusive Central Texas pop-up shop ahead of the pop star’s sold-out Eternal Sunshine tour shows in Austin this week. While some Texans camped out the night before (Sunday, June 21) and the early morning hours of Monday, June 22, to secure the first few places in line, others, including myself, opted to visit once it opened, not realizing we’d also be in for the long haul.
Houston natives Laurie Sanchez and Jana Martinez told MySA they waited 7 hours to get into Grande’s pop-up, leaving their hometown at midnight to line up at 3 a.m. Monday morning. I waited nearly 4 hours to get merchandise from Grande’s pop-up, which was the longest I’ve ever waited in line for a pop-up in Austin.
Over the past three years, I’ve been to several celebrity pop-ups, including Harry Styles’ Pleasing brand (twice) in 2024 and 2025, then Sabrina Carpenter’s ACL pop-up last year, but neither of those wait times (about an hour) compared to what I experienced at Grande’s shop. Although it’s unclear if every day of Grande’s pop-up (June 22-27) will draw as big a crowd as the first day, I’d suggest preparing for the worst, as many fans in and out of state will be traveling to Austin this week for Grande’s three-day shows at the Moody Center.
Luckily for Arianators planning to attend later this week, I learned a few hacks from fans that I wish I had known sooner. Here are 4 tips you should know before visiting Ariana Grande’s pop-up in Austin:
1. Prepare for the heat
For any non-Texans coming to the pop-up, you should know we’re in the beginning stages of peak summer heat, with Monday reaching a high of about 90 degrees, so it will be hot and humid outside. I suggest applying sunscreen and wearing light-colored clothing and comfortable shoes since you will most likely have to stand in line with the sun beating down on you. Many fans also brought umbrellas for shade and water bottles for hydration. Some people also brought folding chairs to sit down while they waited. Lastly, bringing a paper or electric portable fan can also help keep you cool in the heat.
2. Get there early
I made the mistake of getting in line at 11 a.m. (an hour after the pop-up opened at 10 a.m.), and I noticed that the earlier you got in line, the faster you could get into the pop-up. So, if you have the time, I’d encourage you to get in line at least an hour before the pop-up opens, just so you can be in and out before the afternoon. I think a lot of people were concerned about items selling out quickly, like at Grande’s LA pop-up, but I can honestly say I had no trouble finding the sizes of the shirts I wanted, and the employees were quick to restock clothing on the racks.
3. Have an idea of what you want
I used Ariana Grande’s website to browse before shopping in-store, which made it easier to find what I wanted in the pop-up. However, there are a few items online and at the California pop-ups that were not available in Austin, such as R.E.M. beauty products and the viral teddy bear keychain. So, I suggest having a backup option in mind in case you can’t find the item you initially wanted.
4. Use a buddy system
If you have to step out of line for any reason, tell the person in front of you and the one behind you to hold your place. I made friends with two girls in front of me and held their place for them as they left to get Gatorades from a nearby corner store. Also, once you get inside, if you have a friend, you can both take turns standing in the checkout line while one of you shops, since the line was also long upon entering. So, the faster you grab your stuff and get in line, the easier the check-out process will be.
5. Try to visit before Grande’s concert days
A lot of people will be traveling to Austin on June 24, 26, and 27 for Grande’s shows, so I think visiting the shop on Tuesday, June 23 and Thursday, June 25, may be your best bet to try and beat the tour crowds. No concert ticket required to enter the pop-up, so fans are welcome to shop any day. But if you’re planning to go to the show that night, it may be worth shopping a day or two early so you have enough time to get ready…