Day 10

The first ten days with the keys are behind us – and wow, it's already quite a journey.

We got to know the space, compiled a list of defects, noted down sockets and other points that still need professional repair, sorted out the internet, adjusted plans, cleaned, painted, and organized a lot.

A huge milestone: we were able to conclude purchase agreements for our shop furniture – all second-hand. And honestly? It's going to be amazing. We have more together than we had hoped for by the opening, and we even managed to stay within budget, or rather, below it. This leaves some breathing room for all the things we've undoubtedly forgotten somewhere.

We are incredibly grateful for second-hand furnishings. This allows us to start with high-quality, robust commercial furniture that we could never afford new in this quality. For us, this means: buy once and use for a long time. For the environment, it means: things stay in circulation, don't have to be disposed of, and nothing new has to be produced.

The plan has also changed again. Only when you truly feel a space do you realize what fits – and what doesn't. That's exactly why we rethought and adjusted things again.

And then: cleaning. Lots of cleaning. A lot of cleaning. Especially the floors tell stories of years of ingrained dirt. In addition, we painted: everything white first. The pastel-yellow turn-of-the-millennium phase and the neon green can go. After that, we'll let the space speak for itself.

Our goal is not to open our perfect store in August. Phase one should be really well established: the basic setup, the foundation, the starting point. Everything else can grow with us. Charm takes time – and the right treasures will be found when their time comes.

Now it's time to: keep cleaning, keep painting, and pick up endless kilograms of material.

It remains exciting.