On the night before the opening day, labels were stuck on until 2 a.m., at 9.50 a.m. the team from Poinger’s unpacked store “Bunte Bohne” had finished the preparations – almost a precision landing. Because ten minutes later the first guests arrived: the opening ceremony of the shop started. “We’ve been plodding through the last week and put in a night shift every day,” says Veronika Molin, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board.
Over the past year and a half, a project emerged from a loose idea that focuses on consumption that is as sustainable and fair as possible. More and more supporters quickly followed. A cooperative was formed. A few months ago there was even a home at the market place with the house number 5 A in the center of Poinger. And after the opening on Saturday, it seems as if the concept of the “colorful bean” is working and the hard work has paid off: the stream of visitors didn’t stop throughout the day. The team did not close the shop doors at 5 p.m. as planned, but only one and a half hours later.
Customers were also provided with coffee, cake and one or the other piece of advice in the outdoor area.
(Photo: Christian Endt)
Sometimes it was financial supporters and volunteers of the project who came by. Another time invited guests like the landlords of the shop premises. But the Poinger street festival that was taking place at the same time also attracted curious people who didn’t have the opening date on their screens or didn’t know anything about a Poinger unpackaged store. “We gained five new cooperative members straight away,” says Molin. “And got so much positive feedback – it’s incredibly beautiful and we’re really proud of it.”
A few little things are not finished yet. A few goods are still waiting in the warehouse to be placed in the sales room. “But we just haven’t gotten around to it yet,” says Molin. With the exception of store manager Annika Krätschmer and café manager Tobias Fuchs, the other members of the team are involved in the project on a voluntary basis. Time is a rare commodity there.
That doesn’t seem to have affected the crowds. Because even on Tuesday, the first regular opening day, the shop was always well frequented. “Actually, I just wanted to stop by to do some shopping myself,” says Molin. “But there was so much going on that I jumped in and lent a hand.”
More information about the Poinger unpacked shop with café “Bunte Bohne” is available at poing-unverpackt.de.