Preferably by appointment?
It was seven great years.
Rich in blood, sweat and tears, but also full of inspiration, enthusiasm and positive energy.
Seven years of Anna Pops in seven milestones. Here we go!
Once upon a time there was a mini store of 12m2…August 2012.
Suddenly there is the magical moment when our first daughter Fauve takes her first steps. The search for a quality shoe and substantiated advice begins, but we come home from a bare journey. During a moment of peace, under the sun in Provence, the idea arises to formulate an answer to this yourself. Very carefully, with our savings, we purchase the very first collection. We are converting part of Filip's architectural firm into a shop. 12m² full of children's shoes. It is an educational period because we know nothing about trade and neither of us come from an entrepreneurial family. Step by step we get to know the production process and the people behind the shoes. Our audience is amazing and they have been the driving force behind Anna Pops from day one.
Shoe collection x 5
A retail space of 12m² is cozy and can just fit three strollers :-). But our range is growing and we really don't have enough space to present all the shoes in a serene manner. As soon as the house next to us comes up for sale, we are interested and after much deliberation we make the decision. A big step for our children's shoe store. We will convert the ground floor into retail space and furnish the two upper floors as apartments. From now on, these can be rented for a few days, weeks or months. AP8 This regularly forms a cradle for business people who find peace and space in a homely setting. The expansion also makes room for more shoe brands and size ranges (from 17 to 41) and for new ideas.
The right outfit for every shoe.
Inspiration is central both in the physical store and on our website. Creating is our passion! For example, we have been working with personalized shoe designs from the start, which can be found online under 'Anna Pops Creation'. We work with existing models, adjusting the colors, materials, laces and soles. Thanks to a sustainable collaboration with a series of small-scale family businesses, this is possible without any influence on the price tag. After a visit to the Ocra in Grottazzolina (IT), where the video you will find on the homepage was recorded, our own brand 'Ocra by Pops' was created. Now we literally stand with our feet between the shoes and experience how much energy, passion, craftsmanship and time these little masterpieces require. In the flow of inspiration, we also add clothing to our range. We always look for starting brands or special established values that surprise us in terms of cut and use of materials.
A new face.
Growing is nice, but drowning in work is not. In order to maintain focus on our passion, we must seek support. New addition Judith is a clever jack-of-all-trades who supports us both before and behind the scenes. During peak times, the Anna Pops family is further supplemented with student workers. Such a first member of staff is a bit awkward at first, but as soon as the customers give us their blessing, we know we have made the right choice. Stijn, our IT magician, is our invisible family member and invaluable to the smooth functioning of the company.
Online renaissance
Our drive for innovation leads to a completely new website with a focus on inspiring, sharing knowledge and providing peace of mind. We create new looks throughout the season through 'shop-the-looks', Instagram and photo shoots. We share knowledge and inspiration with our customers through the 'gazette' and a series of 'tips & tricks' on the homepage. In the busy lives we all lead, we want to unburden you as much as possible. For example, a store visit by appointment is greatly appreciated by many.
Fashion finds
Once again the boxes threaten to rise above our heads. We are looking for a fascinating place where architecture and fashion can come together. The answer to that question can be found in the rear building that connects to the existing store. Walls, floors and ceilings are stripped of all decorations. What remains is a still life where pure materials and structures take center stage. The new store is the ultimate meeting place for us with our ambassadors. There is room for peace and quiet here. A cup of coffee and a cookie stimulates personal contact and we get a lot of energy from that. The fleeting fades and makes way for depth. Based on this approach, we also put together collections with shoes, clothing and associated accessories. The interpretation of seasonal fashion as we know it is increasingly making way for a focus on sustainable and timeless pieces.
Repops
In our daily lives, almost everything is available à la minute in seemingly inexhaustible quantities. Fantastic, right? But appearances are deceiving. Our local lifestyle has a significant impact on the global environment. We want to integrate this awareness into Anna Pops' DNA.
We (fortunately) have no control over the speed at which children grow. But the answer to this does not lie in the mass purchase of clothing items that have a major impact on the environment due to their production, transport and limited lifespan. That is why we are working on a place for high-quality recovered clothing within our #repops initiative. We select a series of brands and set quality criteria that the garments to be brought in must meet. Clothing thus becomes an investment, because part of the sales price flows back to the customer. More about this soon.
Another commitment? Gaining as much knowledge as possible about the environmental impact of our collections and sharing that knowledge with our customers. Where are pieces manufactured? What is the ecological footprint of cotton? In this way, we want to ensure that both we and the customer make conscious choices, without raising an admonishing finger.
