These Brussels shops opened with the help of OpenSoon: 2022 batch
Opening a business is not without risks. It requires strong shoulders and substantial equity to stay afloat despite the storms that may occur. In 2010, to help budding traders stay the course, the Region launched the OpenSoon grant, which offers sustainable, innovative and high-quality coaching and financial support of up to 20,000 euros.
The Brussels-Capital Region has more than 20,000 shops on its territory. Behind this number lie at least as many unique and moving personal stories, punctuated by downfalls and successes, falls and rebounds, huge doubts and great certainties. In this blog, we will tell you about some of them.
Herbes Folles: more than just a bookshop (Anderlecht)
The Herbes Folles bookshop opened in the centre of Anderlecht in October 2022. Its shelves feature a wide selection of books for young and old, and there are also plants, a small cafe and a programme of cultural events.
Herbes Folles is a generalist local bookshop created and founded by Els De Clercq. “I had 17 years’ experience in the socio-cultural sector in Brussels and decided to make a decisive career move. My dream has always been to open a bookshop, and I finally decided to take the plunge. Of course, there were many months of research and reflection before I decided to go for it. This enabled me to build a project that reflects my personality, is as viable as possible and meets the demand from local customers.”
The project, located at 30 Rue Saint-Guidon, generated considerable enthusiasm even before it opened. “The support of local residents has been very important. This was confirmed when I launched my crowdfunding campaign in the run-up to the opening; its success exceeded my expectations.” All the more reason for Els to choose the right location.
Grants and coaching
In addition to crowdfunding, Els also looked for grants. Following an interview with a hub.brussels starter coach, she was able to receive support and submit an application for the OpenSoon call for projects. “The primary motivation was obviously to try and win a grant. Nevertheless, although the vision of my concept and its usefulness seemed very clear to me, my coach challenged me on various points relating to my offer and positioning. It has been very rewarding.”
Els De Clercq
founder of Librairie Herbes FollesIt is often hard to take a step back from your concept when you are immersed in writing your business plan. Thanks to the support of hub.brussels, I was able to make the most of my idea and improve it, while at the same time winning a €15,000 grant. It was a great help in getting my project off the ground and making my dream a reality.
Roseline d’Oreye: unique and colourful creations
A trained illustrator, Roseline specialises in drawing on silk. In her boutique nestled in the very heart of Brussels’ tourist centre, she sells unique creations on silk squares, nastritos and kimonos that provide shoppers with an exotic escape. Since 8 December 2022, Roseline has combined a production workshop upstairs with a sales area on the ground floor. Number 10 Galerie du Roi is therefore the place to be.
Even though Roseline opened her shop only recently, her business has been growing for several years now, thanks in particular to a webshop and pop-up sales.
It was after spending several months at Balthazar Brussels that Roseline realised the importance of having a permanent physical point of sale. “Thanks to that experience, I came to the conclusion that to ensure the longevity of my brand and my business, it was essential to allow my customers to touch my products and to respond to the need to buy right away, which was something that my webshop alone, combined with a few short-term physical sale outlets, didn’t offer.“
The benefits of challenging your business plan
The designer then went in search of premises to set up permanent presence. Moving into the Royal Galleries was an obvious choice. “My creations have the advantage of being easy to transport, while being truly representative of Brussels. I therefore wanted to target my products at tourists, especially as the ‘carré de soie’ (silk square) is still relatively unknown here in Belgium.“
Although opening a retail outlet is a major challenge, its owner believes that “the fact of being able to talk to a coach who is in regular contact with retailers is really reassuring. The number of examples and case studies my coach provided turned out to be invaluable! And the work undertaken in relation to my business plan also played a key role.“
Roseline d'Oreye, founder
founderIt's true that my primary motivation was to obtain the subsidy offered by OpenSoon, but I still found the coaching to be useful and relevant. All the work that took place after drawing up my business plan played a key role. If anything, it made me even more convinced of my plan and its potential success.
Badi, Cider Bar: bubbles like no others (Saint-Gilles)
Anyone who thought that the bars, cafés and restaurants in Saint-Gilles covered every taste had not yet discovered the fabulous world of craft cider. This is what Badi has been offering since January of this year.
Badi is the second cider bar in Brussels and the first of its kind in Saint-Gilles. Go to 80, Rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies, near the Parvis de Saint-Gilles, to enjoy natural, craft-made ciders.
What makes them special? At Badi, ciders are exclusively served in bottles; there is no “draught” like there is in Irish pubs. Here, we discover cider differently and are guided by the advice of the bar owners. Food-lovers can enjoy a selection of sharing plates to accompany their cider tasting. Success guaranteed!
From tasting to settlement
Badi was founded by Victoria and Maxime and was built on their respective experiences. The project had been in the back of our minds for three years,” explains Victoria. It was while working in establishments like Rebel and Ötap that we discovered the world of natural wine and then cider. We first expanded our knowledge by tasting and by meeting cider producers across Europe.”
The search for a commercial space began in January 2021, with a desire to open in Saint-Gilles. “We found a first space on Rue de l’Hôtel des Monnaies but, after many months of negotiations with the owner, it did not work out. The search continued and we visited the space we currently occupy. We fell in love with it; it met our needs in every way.“
The couple submitted their application for the 2022 edition of OpenSoon. It was accepted by the jury, with one caveat, “The feedback on the application was positive, but included a point of attention: make sure that the atmosphere of the venue is in keeping with the district. We have taken this into account, while also respecting our tastes. We love the design and architecture, but Badi is a simple, raw and minimalist place that remains accessible to everyone,” Maxime concludes.
Victoria & Maxime
founders of BadiThere were five months of work between choosing premises and the opening, as well as participation in OpenSoon. For us, it was an excellent exercise, as it allowed us to push on with writing the business plan, ask ourselves a lot of questions and enhance our project. The application was not expected to be so complete.
La Fiancée du Bijoutier: entrepreneurial calm (Etterbeek)
Meet at number 345 in the Chaussée de Wavre pedestrian zone, just a few steps from Place Jourdan. The story unfolds at La Fiancée du Bijoutier, and it sparkles with the full power of its 18 carats.
The introductions are quick: behind the counter is Rachel, the fiancée, and behind the tables of his workshop is Stéphane, the jeweller. The story could end there, but it is too good not to be told in more detail.
First of all, the concept: Stéphane trained as a jeweller and gem-setter in Namur. His meeting with Rachel from Brussels gave rise to the idea to create a brand of jewellery, working only with 925 silver and 18-carat gold. The adventure began in a workshop at their home.
Over time, they felt the desire to be visible and meet a wider clientele. To test their business concept, the couple tried the Auberge Espagnole experience during the first three months of 2022. The experience was a success and resulted in the search for a permanent location for the activities of the La Fiancée du Bijoutier.
The support offered by the hub.brussels retail team was key during this research phase. “This led to participation in the OpenSoon call for projects and allowed us to obtain financial support of €15,000. This help allowed us to be calmer regarding the question of the profitability of our business in the launch phase. As a result, we could focus on the creative part of our craft, as well as on customer service.”
Rachel & Stéphane
founders of La Fiancée du BijoutierThanks to OpenSoon, we had to write the business plan for our project, Rachel explains." It was a lot of work, but it was an opportunity to ask ourselves the right questions, work better on our positioning and better define our objectives in terms of sustainability.
