Like browsing through a magazine
- Simone Maas
- 27 nov 2015
- 3 minuten om te lezen
I was walking around in Antwerp the other day when a huge poster on a building caught my eye. ‘Jüttu’, it said, ‘something you would tell a friend about’. This made me curious. What kind of store would be so cool that you just had to tell a friend? Like a real trendwatcher I took a picture of it and saved the date of the opening. The 13th of November this new store celebrated its opening and I was there!
What is it? Jüttu is a store that has a wide range of products in the categories fashion, decoration and food. They differ themselves from the ordinary store by focusing on the critical shoppers. All of their products have their own unique background story but they have one thing in common: the brands are honest and local. Jüttu is a Finish word with many meanings. I personally found all of them inspiring but the ones that spoke to me where ‘storytelling’ and ‘crush’.
One of the brands they have added to the collection is the Dutch brand ‘Studio Jux’. ‘Studio Jux’ produces clothes without using any chemicals. The owner of this brand ones met a men who worked in a fabric and had turned purple as a result of the damaging substances he was surrounded by day after day. Jüttu gives brands like this an opportunity to tell their stories. Apart from the fashion and interior bits and bobs, they also sell biological foods brand-named ‘Jummy’.
When I walked in I was welcomed by a staff member. They were all so nice and willing to help you. The interior design was done amazing. Walls covered in green leafs, clothes made of beautiful fabrics and cute looking foods come together inside. The store is also really roomy (not so surprising if you take in consideration that it has a total surface of 700 m2) and that gives of a relax vibe.
Why is it cool? Jüttu focusses on the story behind the products they sell. That gets people’s attention. Nowadays there are so many shops where you can buy your clothes, interior decoration and food. Because we have so much to choose from we are looking for the things that are more interesting. The products that are unique and grab attention. This few lines I read on Amayzine describe the current customers wishes:
“When I go shopping, I usually skip the main shopping streets. I’ll look those up online. No, my shopping I do at concept stores, that makes me truly happy” (loosely translated from Dutch)
More and more people have this common feeling. Offline shopping is about more than finding the right stuff. They are looking for experience, something they will remember later. This group of people we call ‘wonderlust’. They want to be amazed and have a great interest in reflecting. Reflecting on themselves, the world around them and of course the products that they buy. Jüttu is the Valhalla for these costumers.
-Maurice Knitwear from local designer Véronique Leysen-
The trends in which Jüttu anticipates are ‘authenticity’, ‘experience the product’ and ‘livingroom society’. Everything about this store is authentic, from the products they sell to the way they present their collection. Even their name is a word I have never heard of before, but I already love it. By making this store special and paying attention to every single detail they created a real experience. Without even buying something the store is worth a visit. Even my boyfriend had fun, looking at the mirrored rooms and walls covered in plants. Jüttu is a true example of a store where the process of buying is maybe even more important than the product itself. By placing the different objects in the same room you get the idea you are in someone’s living room. The best outcome of this would be a cosy home feeling that results in the costumer feeling comfortable.
In conclusion Jüttu is a perfect example of the megatrend ‘Experience Economy’. They are authentic and make the costumer feel like home by creating a sort of living room space. This makes paying a visit at the store even more valuable than the products you might buy there.
What sources did I use?
http://www.juttu.be/blog/ (afbeelding 3)
Always wonder,
Simone
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