Shop Review: GOODS

The old bourgeois distinct of Copenhagen, Østerbro, which in many ways is similar to the smaller provincial towns of Denmark, has been spared the most fast-moving fashion hypes that Copenhagen’s other districts like Nørrebro and Vesterbro have undergone over the past decade. Østerbro still moves at a slower pace and there’s room for everyone; the people of Østerbro are not following trends just because there’re in fashion, which is clearly reflected in clothing retailers out there. A perfect example is GOODS in Classensgade that opened in August 2008 just before the financial crisis really hit Denmark, but nevertheless the shop has managed to carve out a respectable name, a solid customer clientele, and a promising potential for growth.

The shop is owned and managed by Kasper Hostrup who emphasises that, “it is important to know the products you are working with, if you really want to be good.” Kasper also points out that the level of product knowledge that staff members possess is crucial to whether the customer gets a good or a bad experience. The simplicity of shop is another appeal to many customers and because GOODS is overflowing with brands it is easier to get an overview.

Everything that GOODS does is very much about quality, not only of the products on the shelves, but also the quality of advice. It’s about professionalism and the personal and honest contact with customers. For this reason, Kasper only uses word-of-mouth, tasteful artwork, and limited and quality-oriented electronic media to advertise about GOODS. Besides the success in the physical store, Kasper has also managed to move the good results outside of Copenhagen through the webshop.

The labels on the products from Portland General Store have had a facelift.

New shades of the season from Moscot.

One of the new brands in the shop from this spring season is Underwerk, a new Danish underwear brand that does reproductions from the 70s. The garments are produced by Niels Mikkelsens Trikotagefabrik in heart of the once vigorous Danish clothing industry in the middle of Jutland. The factory is to this day the sole supplier of underwear garments for the Danish military.

Kasper is proud to be the first retailer in Scandinavia that carries the up coming American brand Ignoble. The bags are made from fabric traditionally used by the American Army (not camouflage), and they are “assembled in the U.S.A. by a military-grade soft goods production facility.”

The small Stars & Stribes flag does actually matter.

Another popular bag brand you’ll find in the cozy basement is Mt. Rainier Design, which GOODS was the first European shop to carry.

Just one month ago, Kasper started wearing his first pair of Levi’s Vintage Clothing shrink-to-fit that he has washed. It’s the 1933 501.

The exposed rivets of the jeans have scratched his beautiful vintage chair; one of the main reasons for Levi’s to conceal the rivets in the mid-1930s was to prevent such “accidents.”

At GOODS you’ll find products from exclusive brands like Norse Projects, Schiesser, Folk, Garbstore, YMC, Clark’s, Andersen-Andersen, Field Notes, Moscot, Portland General Store, and Huberd’s shoe grease. In addition, GOODS carries jeans from Han Copenhagen and Levi’s Vintage Clothing. Besides his professional knowledge of denim, Kasper also has a personal passion for the blue fabric, and states that, “denim may be the most important garment in the history of clothing.” Let that be his last words for now.

Contact information of the shop:

Classensgade 4 kld. tv., 2100 København Ø, Denmark

[email protected]

Review by Thomas Bojer.