Anna Pops, what isda?

ANNAPOPS, what isda?

Annapops is an experience store with personalized shoes for your offspring, but also quirky children's clothes and crazy accessories. Here they serve children's feet from size 16, but mothers can also expand their shoe collection here! At Annapops you will find outfits for 2 to 14 year olds. But older sons and daughters also like to come here, so the range will soon grow - literally - to 18 years.

From the head of?

Fickle, driven and with a great sense of style: that is Tina, a 36-year-old girl mom. Her daughters Loïs and Fauve will soon be 6 and 8. She regrets that she only discovered her entrepreneurial side 'later in life'. She has a bachelor's degree in construction and should therefore have become a site manager. Let that be a bit different! After some wanderings in real estate, selling kitchens and a job with the city, she now has her own shop. From a real job hopper to a parentpreneur, that is!

How it all started

The idea for the store came after the birth of our eldest daughter. The classic story: we couldn't find a decent, cool children's shoe for her in Aalst. After a search that seemed to last forever, we finally ended up in Ghent. That's where I found my liking. But did I really want to drive that far every time for a new pair?! And so my husband and I decided to start a shop ourselves: why not, have fun together, just the two of us? And so we opened a tiny business, right in our home, on a street where few shoppers actually go. This quickly required an online launch: we had to make ourselves heard on the world wide web! Our e-shop was also launched quickly. The name Annapops? We came up with this on holiday in France. We met a British family there: that mother addressed her daughter as pops and we thought that was an extremely cute pet name. One thing led to another.

What are the reactions?

We sell beautiful shoes. And the advantage is that they actually sell themselves. Every little customer later becomes a living billboard: they receive compliments and people ask where they found those handsome walkers. This is how they ultimately end up with us. Parents also like to come here: some let their children choose from our wide range of options. They have so much confidence in our taste! And then the little ones are happy that they could choose for themselves and the moms and dads also go home happy. No hassle, pure fun!

What is ANNAPOPS for you?

Annapops collects shoes that are beautiful and good at the same time: artisanal and honestly made footwear that is kind to children's feet. Our range of outlet shoes (- 50%) is wide, so moms and dads with a smaller budget can also choose quality. I want everyone to feel welcome here and I love it when customers take their time. Something that is not always easy with children. For the time being there is only a coffee machine that we use at quieter moments, but in the future we would also like to provide tables, chairs and stacks of newspapers. So that parents and children can take a breather before, during or after browsing in all the nice corners of the store.

What is your ultimate dream?

To turn it into a real experience store, we need more space. And we have found it, so our future plans are bubbling heavily! I see Annapops as a wonderful meeting place where you can linger for a long time and relax with the whole family. Honestly? We would also like to open a second store in a real big city! Although I feel that a conversation with bigger boys would be useful for this. A good chat with people who know how to draw up a business plan and can deal with larger budgets! Until now we did everything by feeling and didn't take any big risks, but I could use some help for the next steps.

I am a slashparent and also want good children's shoes. What should I pay attention to?

The ideal children's shoe is one made of leather. That natural material serves those little sweaty feet best. Don't forget that children sweat much more easily than adults and that their shoe closet is usually a lot smaller (so they change them less often). In addition, a sturdy heel piece is important to absorb shocks and only the nose should fold. Fabric sneakers that you can wring out like a mop are therefore a no go. Always measure children's feet before you shop (or have them measured in the store) and allow for a growth margin of 1 centimeter. And then this last, but very important tip: let your offspring go barefoot often enough. This gives them strong foot muscles. Hippie hop!