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PLEASURE IS THEIR BUSINESS

The Coolsingel cafe in De Bijenkorf Rotterdam welcomes visitors into the department store with a coffee and patisserie experience that will seduce any taste buds. Here, simple everyday pleasures are transformed into a true indulgence with a dash of understated opulence.

The cafe fuses retail and hospitality into one premium destination. Gourmet deluxe products are combined with a relaxing all-day spot to dwell. Upon entrance, visitors are greeted by “boxes of indulgence” that showcase the retail offer. Freestanding mid floor tables highlight key seasonal products and create a meandering landscape for discovery. A grid of wall cabinets puts the gourmet products and their luxurious packaging on the centre stage. We also designed a series of merchandising boxes to highlight and curate the products, catering to diverse sizes and types. The patisserie counter is the theatre of activity within this area, showcasing decadent cakes and pastries behind large glass vitrines that create a feast for the eyes.

Retail transitions into the cafe area with a varied seatingscape for different preferences. The patrons can watch the world go by at the window seating, linger at the cozy banquettes or enjoy a quick coffee at the tables in the middle. The all-day food bar is a destination at the back, offering hot bites, sandwiches, pastries and drinks. The retail cabinets continue into this area as a scenographic backdrop for the counter.

The cafe’s look & feel celebrates De Bijenkorf’s refined identity and the building’s architectural grandeur. Bold shapes and monolithic volumes are balanced with translucency, crafted details and a layering of dark and light materials. A series of mesh screenings, inspired by the brand’s iconic hive pattern, intuitively divide the space and curate in-store views from outside.