Hello!

I have just finish my third week at my internship in a store located in Gothenburg. This store is focusing on only eco-friendly and fair-trade clothing and accessories. This store is created by 20 different companies that collaborates and share the store space which, for the moment, is about 80 square meters. The store is located in a very cosy neighbourhood, in an old and very beautiful building just a few meters from Kungsportavenyn.

During my first week, the shop had not opened and neither was decorated, which gave me the opportunity to follow and observe the whole process of the sales environment creation. The goal was to create a harmonious sale environment that would fit all the companies brand image but still express a clean and fresh feeling. To success with this it has been very important to have a clear communication between all companies about what expressions that are the most important for each brand to communicate to the consumer. But in the same time the store should express a compliance between the companies’ concepts so the consumer can feel a harmony when visiting the store. To create this feeling the light is very important, therefore, I and one of the entrepreneurs went out to shop lamps that would fit the image of the store. We visited many lamp stores, second hand stores and gathered the inspiration for the stores´ interior. Now the store is decorated with white walls and there are furniture made of metal, dark and white wood and the lamps are spotlights and also some lamps with a retro look. There are also a decision made, that they should play calm music in the store.

I also had the opportunity to participate in the start-up of the cash and payment system that is used in the store. It is a kind of complex system with a lot of part no. to keep track of. But the work gave me a strong insight into the companies’ different products, prices and also from where the products come and how they are produced. I think this where very interesting because it showed me that there are so many alternatives to choose from when it comes to the producing processes and materials of clothes.

The store opened with a big opening ceremony, and both companies and consumers were invited. Around 200 people came to the store this day and were crowded the small retail space. Environmentally food were served to the visitor and everyone was happy. The consumer was curious about the products and they shopped a lot. All the entrepreneurs were busy talking to customers and the press so I took care of the payment of the product at the checkout  

During my three first weeks, I also have had the possibility to talk to the entrepreneurs of the companies and learned about theirs life journey when it comes to the start-up of the company. They have many different backgrounds, educations and experiences, some of they are studying textile and some of them operates in a limited company. Among other, I had lunch with one of the entrepreneurs that told me that she had travelled a lot and collect inspiration from other cultures and also founded the manufacturers that produces the products that she is selling in the store today. She has a very good contact with these manufactures and have a good knowledge about how the producing process is manage. During the coffee breaks we also discussed the goal with the different companies and how they are reasoning around the topic about organic clothing and sustainable development

Over and out / Annika