Shop Profile: ALIS, Copenhagen, Denmark

Shop Name: ALIS

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Visit: www.alis.dk

Week number three of the Boardsport Source Shop Tour round Europe see’s ALIS Skate Shop from Copenhagen give us their view on the retail world in the Danish Capital.

Tell us a little bit about your shop?

The shop is 6 years old and the brand started out with stickers and stuff in 1995 and our first sales started out in 1998

What percentage of your sales are from online business compared to your in-store sales?

5-10 %

What are the benefits of having a physical shop over simply having an online store?

For our customers, we feel they like to be able to come into our store and not only try, but also feel the fabrics and sizes of the product.   I prefer a real life contact experience with my customers, where I am able to give them special treatment and a unique experience.

What makes your store different and in what ways does your store excel beyond your competition?

We are the people in the local scene.  Our brand represents us…it is us.  We also give back to our roots.

What kind of advice can you give other independent retailers who are trying to compete against the big box megastores?

What works for us, and we believe can work for every other independent retailer is to put on events.  It shows that you’re not only giving back, but also supporting the local scene.  Support D.I.Y projects and local kids.  Hook them up!  Also give younger kids tips…school them, you may not think it, but kids these days do actually care about the history of our culture.

Which up and coming brand do you hope to stock in the future?

We only stock our own brand as well as a heap of vinyl ,books, DVDs and art that are in direct blood line to our street family.

What are you doing to pull people into your store?

We hand our a ton of stickers, we have parties, book signings, limited edition vinyl sales, vinyl singings and we always have a sales corner.

How confident are you for the coming summer?

Here at ALIS we’re very confident. Spring is here and the D.I.Y spots are popping up like mushrooms on a moist field in September!