Follow along as we build a bigger, more beautiful GOODS.
Reopening at the end of March.
Week 1
The Vision
As with any building project, the new GOODS needed strong foundations.
Our first and most important task was finding the right architect.
Julius Nielsen,
Architect MAA
The vision of a more beautiful GOODS
Having taken the decision to acquire the store next door and expand GOODS, we quickly engaged the Copenhagen-based architect Julius Nielsen to collaborate on our vision. Julius had recently established his own practice and proved to be a rigorous and imaginative partner throughout. His ability to conceptualize our thoughts and intentions was decisive. We’ll leave the last words to him:
“Kasper is the owner of the store and is a truly discerning client with a very strong idea of his brand. There was never any temptation to go cutting edge as a lot of stores do because that shock-of-the-new quickly fades and you’re left with something that feels forced, uncomfortable, and unable to accommodate the passing of time.”
Building in resilience
“We started with visual stimuli and gradually dug deeper into the periods and inspirations behind them. The Danish golden age of design was a clear reference but we’ve blended in some elements from the 1920s and 1930s to create an interior that is still contemporary but much more resilient to changing tastes and passing fads.
“The new GOODS is an evolution of the current one – we’ve used the same contemporary materials in many places, and a lot of the new furniture is made using the same oak. One clear objective was to make the store feel as welcoming as possible. We used a lot of time tweaking the colour palette of the entire store, playing with the light simulations and adjusting the textures to create an atmosphere where you feel like you don’t want to leave.”
Week 2
A Centrepiece
The table that will stand at the heart of the new GOODS is a collaboration between our architect and the design and production studio Standard Practice. As an object, it might be the ultimate representation of what we stand for.
A table is never just a table
With more space, we had the opportunity to create a true centrepiece for the store. It will be the first thing you see when looking through the new storefront window so we wanted something rather special. It had to allow the items placed on it to shine, while being a beautiful object in its own right.
The table was drawn by our architect, Julius Nielsen, then produced by Standard Practice. But that’s a crude simplification of a process that became an exercise in creative synergy. Standard Practice co-founder Hugh Diamond explains: “For us, the design phase doesn’t stop with the initial concept. We had many meetings with Julius discussing how to optimise the piece; how to make it robust, how to make the materials shine, the interplay between the oak's end-grain and face-grain, the detailing of a hidden drawer, and so on.”
For fellow co-founder Henry Gibbon, the table’s construction encapsulates the Standard Practice methodology: “The pieces we make take shape iteratively. We go from the drawing board to the workshop and back again – the materials and the piece itself are informed by the process. You push it each time so the end result might not be exactly what was drawn but something even more beautiful.”
Week 3
Permanent Fixtures
Rammelisten is one of Denmark’s most historically significant carpentry specialists. Their relentless focus on quality craftsmanship made them our first and only choice when it came to the fixtures and fittings for the new store.
Teis,
Cabinet maker at Rammelisten
An interior more than 100 years in the making
It’s hard to overstate Rammelisten’s role in the new GOODS. They’re producing all of our wall-mounted fixtures, including those behind the scenes in the stockroom and customer toilet. We were determined that wherever you stand in the premises, you will be close to something beautiful. In Lars Thomsen – friend of the store and Rammelisten owner – we found a truly like-minded spirit.
Lars is just the sixth person to have owned Rammelisten since it was founded in 1885. He undertook his apprenticeship at the company and was able to acquire it in 2019. Today his focus is on upholding the firm’s guiding philosophy of quality that endures.
He explains: “There has always been a tension between industrialisation and quality craftsmanship. Mass production has made things cheaper but not necessarily more sustainable. I’d rather pay more for something that will potentially last a lifetime or longer. Happily I’m not the only one who thinks that way.”
Week 4
Surface Depth
The walls and cabinetry in the new GOODS are all hand painted. As we see it, visible brush strokes are essential connections to craft; they give the sense of a person having been there.
Julius Nielsen,
Architect MAA
A bank canvas
Our store was once a bank. Sometime in the 1930s or 40s, they put up the travertine cladding you see today on the exterior of the building. We’ve always loved its texture and tactility so one of our first decisions was to line the opening between the two halves of the store with the same material. A lot of the choices we’ve made are about navigating that same fault line between drawing on the past and forging our own aesthetic in the present.
Architect Julius Nielsen explains more of the considerations for the interior: “It was less about creating somewhere that would look good in a photo shoot and more about a place that would be a sensory experience. We wanted there to be a connection to the rich, interesting textures of many of the products. Those are things you want to touch and feel and we want the surfaces to have the same effect. The paint* is hand applied, which results in visible brush strokes and a scratchy, almost plaster-like appearance.
“The colour palette is deliberately narrow. Actually the colour code is the same but we opted for different finishes. The doors and cabinetry are high gloss, which gives a nice contrast to the matte on the walls. Using different methods of application also gives some interesting interplays with the light. Because we were also building on the original DNA of the store, we used the same sisal material for the carpeting and we’ve kept many of the original pieces of furniture. It all builds on our overall idea of homely and lived-in, rather than sleek and forbidding.”
*All paint for the new store was kindly supplied by Jotun.
Week 5
Precious Metal
In a nondescript industrial estate on the outskirts of Copenhagen is the workshop of Michael Satterup, one of Denmark’s few remaining gørtlers (metalsmith or brazier). All the metalwork at the new GOODS is being made by Michael and his team. It is anything but nondescript.
Michael Satterup,
Gørtler
Beautifully fashioned
There are two windows at the back of our store. For obvious reasons, we take security seriously so we’ve always had chunky metal grills to ward off uninvited guests. But when it came time for the rebuild, we wanted to avoid having to take them off and put them on again every day. Julius drew up an idea for some integrated grills that would be as beautiful as they were robust and Michael got to work.
As well as the grills, Michael and his team are making our lighting, hanging rails, and several other bespoke pieces. The more we collaborated, the more we came to appreciate his insight and skill. He even found ways to improve the structural strength of the grills while retaining the functionality and the uniqueness of the design.
Michael, who took over the business from his father, Per, says that with so few gørtlers remaining, he is almost overloaded with work repairing antique objects. Fashioning the future while taking care of the past... it’s hard to imagine a more perfect partner.
Week 6
Locale Heroes
The finishing touches of the new GOODS are supplied by iconic Danish makers known for their commitment to handcraft.
Appropriately adorned
There are certain companies we’re naturally drawn to: producers who prize craftsmanship and quality over profit and scale. We’ve teamed up with three of them to supply our tapware and tiling, as well as a very special lampshade.
The latter comes from Le Klint. We commissioned an oversized version of their iconic Model 1 paper shade to hang over our main display table. Handmade at the company factory in Odense, the shade needed three people to fold it instead of the usual one. We can’t wait to see it lit up.
For the tapware in the bathroom, we partnered with Toni. The company, which dates back to 1918, still makes all their fixtures by hand at their Copenhagen factory. We’ve opted for their wall-mounted SP model in browned brass.
The tiles in the customer bathroom are supplied by another Danish company: Marokk. We chose handmade Japanese ceramic tiles that will also be making an appearance in an unusual place in the store itself – see if you can spot them when you pay us a visit.
Lastly, we’re thrilled to announce a partnership with one of our favourite Copenhagen-based art dealers, Peter Titelbech. We will display a selection of mid-century modern paintings, works on paper, and sculptures, all of which will be available for purchase via Kunsthandel Peter Titelbech.
As delightful as it’s been to share the rebuilding process with you, we can’t wait for you to experience the new store in person. The finish line is fast approaching so please stay tuned for an official announcement of the reopening date. We’ll let you know on Instagram and on our newsletter (sign-up form below). For now, thanks for your support, and for your patience!
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Our Story
With impeccable timing, we launched GOODS in a tiny basement just as the rumbles of the 2008 global financial crisis began growing louder. But we stayed the course and, having long since outgrown the basement, we’ve gone on to be named as one of Monocle’s top 100 global retail destinations. Today we’re proudly headquartered in the Østerbro neighbourhood of Copenhagen from where we serve a growing mix of loyal locals and discerning visitors who come from far and wide to share in our commitment to quality craftsmanship and design.
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