And can I also have a pack of wantonness?

Yes, I am quite unsure about myself. And my sense of humor is really bad sometimes. And now that I live on my own, it would be really nice to experience some mother love every day. However, since we cannot buy that, I have to live with these imperfections. That is what I thought, until I saw this strange pop-up store. While walking in Amsterdam I saw a showcase that told me: ‘De laatste winkel’. It got my attention and I wanted to know what it was.

What is it?

From December 10th till December 17th Robin van Gelder, Sebastiaan van Lunteren en Joost Stoof will hold a popup store in Amsterdam (Haarlemmerdijk 41).It is called “De laatste winkel”, which can be translated as ‘The last store’. And these three guys say we can buy all of those intangibles there. You can for example buy a good sense of humor.

Their opinion says that we live in a world where we can buy literally everything. We have a vast system of consumerism, but where is the place where we can buy our intangible needs? In their popup store, ‘De laatste winkel’, they will offer material versions of intangible needs. Needs like a in the right direction, a listening ear, eternal fame, superstition and to be the best in something. The products they sell were created by artists, theater creators and designers.

Why did they call it ‘The last store’?

They explain it like this: in a world where we can buy everything but the intangible needs, the only store we still need is their store. So with the emerging of ‘De laatste winkel’ we can now buy everything. We won’t need any more shops. ‘De laatste winkel’ completes consumerism. That is why they call it ‘The last store’.

Why is it cool? And trend

In my opinion this is a perfect example of Experience Economy, and therefore I think it is amazing. I love art and the ways that artists create to express their opinion. The founding of ‘The last store’ is an awesome move to tell our society that our consumerism goes way to far by all those insane products we can and do buy these days. Furthermore it is an awesome reaction to all of those unnecessary products we can buy these days. This fits in the Cool Curation trend, where people don’t want to buy those weird things though they want to fill their needs with the necessary things in life.

Future growth potential

Because it is a popup-store I don't think there will be a lot of these stores in the future. Since it looked like a project that would be there for just one time. It still could pop up in other cities around the world to get the attention on the concept.

Quality of Life

I think ‘De laatste winkel’ really changes some things for your Quality of Life. It influences Emotional wellbeing, Social wellbeing and Material wellbeing!

The emotional needs people have can be fulfilled by products they buy, yet the impact for Social wellbeing and Material wellbeing is quite different. The creators give a message by opening this store, and enjoyed the fascinating ideas exhibited!

http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/nl/blog/in-amsterdam-opent-binnenkort-een-winkel-voor-immaterile-cadeautjes?utm_source=tcpfbned

https://www.facebook.com/delaatstewinkel/

https://voordekunst.nl/projecten/3900

https://www.facebook.com/delaatstewinkel/videos/1510497302577142/