After two years of promoting the products of local craftsmen on the Zagreb Crafts digital platform, the Zagreb Chamber of Crafts and Trades has decided to take the project a step further and offer customers the possibility to buy handicraft products in a brick and mortar shop, reports Večernji List on January 28, 2019.
The Chamber will open a 40-square-metre shop located in the city centre. It will enable small artisans to exhibit and sell their products. “The outlet is primarily intended for craftsmen who do not have their own shops or are located far from the city centre. It is currently being renovated, and the opening is scheduled for March,” said Mirza Šabić, president of the Zagreb Chamber of Crafts and Trades.
During the first six months, the chamber plans to cover the operating costs of the shop, and afterwards, the craftsmen will pay rent for a particular area in the store, such as shelves, and a commission for the goods sold. The proceedings will only be used to cover the cost of the operation. The idea is for the venue, according to Antun Trojnar, the president of the Zagreb Crafts Association, to become a regular stop on the city tours for tourists.
The shop will offer some of the finer products intended for everyday use, such as various souvenirs, ornaments, designer clothing, purses, hats.
After February 1, the chamber will have the final list of craftsmen who will offer their products at the Zagreb Crafts shop. So far, about 30 of the 140 members of the website said they were interested, but they still have to agree on the rental price. Even if the cost is 3,000 kuna a month, according to leather craftsman Miljenko Vuk, it would be quite profitable, since he would need a turnover of 100,000 kuna just to cover the expenses of having his own shop.
“We sell products online and mostly do wholesale. We specialise in menus for caterers, wallets for waiters, tool bags for technicians. But my wife Ana designs female briefcases, and it would be nice to offer them in a shop. Many do not even know we exist, and the shop will help us a lot in that regard,” said the owner of the “Vuk Leather” business, established in 1972.
The ship will also offer the products of the “Klupica” brand, souvenirs made of wood and glass created by the laser engraving technique. “The business is only two years old, and I currently sell only at fairs,” said the owner Dijana Smoljo.
The “Valek Shoes” business is also interested. It was started in 1963, and the new venue will help them market their products. “We produce custom made shoes, so we do not plan to sell them, but tourists will be able to see what they look like. Abroad, handicrafts are much more expensive than here,” said Irena Kostelac-Zrnić.
Tanja Hudetz, a cardboard producer whose workshop was initially founded in 1862, supports the idea. “We mostly make custom products, but occasionally somebody needs a gift box, and since we do not have a retail store, Zagreb Crafts will fit perfectly,” said Hudetz.
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Translated from Večernji List (reported by Petra Balija).
