Amsterdam is full of treasures. Somewhere between the university buildings, the squats, the tourist cafés, the canals and vintage streets, a little gem is hidden in a tiny alley. Rena Noordermeer founded this store after daydreaming about it during her studies in graphic design, which was 10 years ago. She noticed that she preferred collecting work from others to make something new with it. Before the store got it’s place in the city, it was a webshop called Design Mooi, a phonetical pun. As soon as she launched her real life store, she thought of changing the name into something which included the sounds ‘ea’, simply because she liked it. That is what Hear Hear is in summary: an original, yet pure little store, blending artists and brands.
You already have a few different categories under which you sell your items, like accessories, plants and greenery et cetera. Are you planning to add a few more or are you satisfied with your creative labyrinth already?
Yes, for sure. Each month I am adding a series of new products to the store. So I guess I’ll have to come up with some new categories soon, as I am pretty much addicted to keep expanding the collections.
What kind of brands do you like to collaborate with?
I am already collaborating with the following brands:
About Blanks, Baggu, Bis Publishers, Brooks England, Chronicle Books, Charlotte Hofman, Datter Industries, Falconwright, FTYC, Herschel Supply Co., Hommin Studio, Hyshil, Jacqueline & Compote, Laurence King, Lila Ruby King, Lisanne Janssen, Luckies, Madam Stoltz, Michael van Kekem, MT Masking Tape, Mujjo, Ontwerpduo, Papress, Pols Potten, Red Cap Cards, TAPED by Studio PS, TiMcity, Two-o, SNUG, Woollypocket and many more.
I like to combine the bigger brands with the young designers. I tend to have interesting contacts with all of them. Some of them I know more personal than others. In general, I try to keep the relationships close, even though it still is a business.From some brands I am only selling their products and not really making something new. But, I still consider that as a collaboration, as it is my task to pic the right products to match the other ones in the store, without loosing the real identity of the brand.
I would seriously love to go for drinks with all of the brands! Aleks from Oh! You Simple Things and I once collaborated on the design of a totepack (yes indeed: a tote bag and a backpack in one). It was super interesting to do. Some brands even consider Hear Hear as their main distributing store, what an honour! I can already tell that there are some interesting colabs planned for the next season!
How does your own abode look like? Does it have the same style and decoration like your store? And, do you tend to go through life in that whole lifestyle of plants, books, tote bags and little cute and beautiful things.
Well, me, my boyfriend, our three cavia’s and about 50 (!) plants are soon moving into a house with a garden in Amsterdam North, the new best place to live. I really want to start doing the decoration properly this time. I have had to move a lot and investing all your love, time and money into a place you wouldn’t be living in for a long time would be such a waste. It will probably look a lot like the store, as I love plants, the natural, warmth and surprising details.
Are you planning to open another store or add another story to your cute little shop? The sweet, but hip and modern authenticity seems to be one of a kind!
I would like to open another store in some other city than Amsterdam one day. But that is just a future dream. For now I am happy.
Where do you like to travel? Do you get inspired by your own adventures?
Having your independent business doesn’t really allow to make a long-distance travel, unfortunately. But I truly enjoy making little citytrips with my boyfriend or doing a road trip. But, I also try to look at my habitual environment in different ways. In that way, I am actually traveling in my own city every day, looking at it from different perspectives. Even when I am just biking through another street or going to the beach spontaneously should feel like an adventure. I don’t need an airplane for that.
What is your ideal summer evening?
Oh, I ADORE summer evenings. The perfect night for me is one with my boyfriend, family and friends. Enjoying a lazy day in the park with some drinks and food and having ice-cream at 11pm, while sitting next to a canal without freezing. I simply adore how the city comes to life when the sun goes down and this upper relaxed summer dream feeling enters the night.
What about winter?
Blue skies and frozen canals.
Have you read the article about
Pristine Fixed Gear Amsterdam already? These two are lovebirds. One loves plants, the other loves bikes and together they help each other to live their dream while being part of it. I am definitely inspired by this very creative Amsterdam couple, nourishing each other with creativity and energy.
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