Visiting clothing store BLACKFISH: 'The store should also be fun if you don't buy anything'

BLACKFISH has been located at the beginning of the Voorstraat in Utrecht for more than a year now. Ella and Timo's shop moved from Schoutenstraat to the building with the dark wooden facade. 'De Liefde's Centraal Apotheek' can be read in golden yellow letters. The large mermaid on the window, designed by themselves, is almost impossible to miss. A store with mainly clothing, new and vintage, but also all kinds of accessories and recently also a mystique department.

The Utrecht architect Rijk Rijksen designed 'Apotheek De Liefde' in the early twentieth century on behalf of Johan de Liefde, publisher of Het Utrechts Nieuwsblad. “De Liefde set up a health insurance fund for the subscribers of the Utrechts Nieuwsblad, to which doctors and its own pharmacy were affiliated,” the Utrechts Geveltekenfonds writes about this. And although Timo and Ella's business has nothing to do with a pharmacy, love certainly plays a role here. The couple had been together for less than a year when they took the first steps to open a store together.

More than four years ago they started BLACKFISH on Schoutenstraat, but that building became too small. They have a lot more space on Voorstraat. “It's a dream come true, really perfect,” says Ella about their new place. “It's always a pleasure to redecorate the store,” says Timo. “Just like Sims.” It all started with new clothes. After a year and a half, vintage clothing was added. The move gave them plenty of space to decorate it entirely to their taste. Timo: “It's a mixture of what we like. Mystique in particular is very pronounced, think of a fortune teller who travels with a circus. So also a bit of gipsy style, but also 1920s and art deco.”

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There are many plants in the store, most of the walls are dark purple and there is a lot of decoration. “People should have the feeling of coming home to us,” says Ella. “That they come in here and think: 'That's how I would like to decorate my house'. Fortunately, we hear that often. It can be quite busy and full here, but I have the feeling that most people don't find that annoying. They feel comfortable. Everyone should feel welcome.” Timo adds: “The store should also be fun if you don't buy anything. So to look around and wander around a bit.”

Old saris

While until not very long ago they did everything just the two of them, their team has quickly grown to around ten employees. Things quickly went a lot better in their new place than they expected. “It was small enough in Schoutenstraat to stand alone on a busy Saturday,” says Ella. In the Voorstraat they could no longer keep up with the crowds. “It's crazy how quickly that happened,” says Ella. Timo: “I still have to get used to it. From 'playing shop' with the two of us to suddenly managing staff and having an online shop.”

They are very happy that things are going so well. “We now have room to do other things than just being in the store, although that is still fun,” says Ella. “For example, we now have our own collection of sustainable clothing.” In India they have dresses and blouses made from recycled silk. They came up with the fit themselves. Ella strokes the colorful fabric of her dress. It also comes from their own collection. “They are old saris that are collected there. Every time it arrives, it is another gift. It is so beautiful. There are always new substances included. So cool."

Your own beer?

The vintage section can be found downstairs in the basement. There is also an arcade game and a beer refrigerator. Customers can grab a free beer while shopping. Ella notices that the beer supply is sometimes hard, especially on Saturdays. You can find different items among the vintage clothing almost every day. The rest of the store is also regularly decorated differently, says Timo. “We really enjoy doing that. We have quite varying collections and therefore don't buy things very deeply.”

There is a wooden bar in the middle of the store where Timo keeps a large part of his record collection. Some of that also belongs to his father. The music that sounds through the shop comes from the record player on the bar. Timo regularly goes out to expand the musical range. Ella is more concerned with the mystique part at the back: “We get everything there directly from the makers. There is no one in between. We also order our own collection from one person. We just text with that. That is a lot of fun."

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They still have plenty of plans and dreams. For example, Ella thinks it would be “really cool” to brew her own beer. “For example, together with vandeStreek.” Timo would like to expand their own label. “We now have that for women, but I think it would also be fun to see if we can make something for men.” Ella: “Or your own collection with the mermaid. We often get that question.” Timo designed the logo himself. Ella says that recently someone even had a tattoo of it. Their old logo, a fish bone, is also inked on people's bodies. They also had one tattooed themselves. “Really nice,” says Ella.

Photos Jasper Witte