For the last 3 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working part-time in Anbi, a women’s clothes shop, that has been on Skanderborg High Street for more than 50 years. My role was, and is, to build and run the web shop, and help build a connection between the magic of the physical shop, and their online presence.
This blog post is about 4 key lessons from this brick-and-mortar shop, that’s stood the test of time.

Anbi is a women’s clothes shop, that has been an iconic feature on the Skanderborg High Street for more than 50 years. Jette, the current owner, has had the shop for 15 years, and before her a lovely woman, Herdis, worked her magic for 35 years.

I know Herdis, as she still pops in to say hi now and then, a great character of 80+ years of age.

What I want to share with you here, is a behind the scenes insight into some of what it takes to run, and sustain, a brick and mortar shop in a small town for half a century.

This is a privilege, as not many shops last that long today, and so the lessons I share here, are truly tested and tried. They are not predictions, or salesy marketing tactics. This is the real deal.

1. Create a destination brand

Right from the get-go, Anbi sold brands not many had heard of. Small and new businesses have been given a chance in Anbi. Not just clothes brands from Denmark, but also from Lithuania, Norway, and other places.

Because the unique mix of clothes, footwear, ceramics, accessories, cushions, throws, tea, and more, is not available in this particular mix, the shop has become a destination brand.

We have many customers coming from other towns, even abroad, to shop in Anbi, and that is what Marty Neumeier refers to as Onlyness. Anbi is, and has been, the only shop within a large area, with this combo of quality items.

The brands you find in Anbi is a mix of small and big, Danish and International. You can find the brands many places, some of them are massive brands, but it’s the unique mix, and the specific styles from each that makes up the magic potion.

Take the German brand Oska. It’s a massive brand, but Anbi only has their trousers. They have a brilliant fit, and we have a large selection, even more than stocked in Oska’s own shops (the ones we have visited, anyway).

This has meant that customers come to Anbi for Oska trouser. And once a fan of these trousers…you know where to go.

2. Value led: quality and natural materials

Anbi is a value led business. Quality and natural materials are fundamental values this shop is built on.

They have the North Star for every item bought throughout the 50 years. In just the 3 years I have been there, I’ve seen how a well-loved clothes brand compromised on their quality, and as a result, Jette stopped their relationship, even though many customers loved this particular brand, and some still ask about it.

Jette also have a rule, that an item can max have 30% polyester, and preferably none at all, as almost all items are 100% natural. There are exception is tights and socks, for instance, but for clothes, the max is 30% polyester.

Another value, that goes hand-in-hand with the other two, is decency. We are good to one another, we treat people well, we treat our shop well, our customers well, etc. That energy shines through everything we do, and that comes from Jette being the person she is. And Herdis before her.

3. Make shopping an experience

The architecture of the shop matters, and the interior of the shop matters even more so.

When Herdis had Anbi for 35 years, the shop was in a different building a couple of shops down the street. It was an old, narrow building, with a spiral staircase, and not actually particularly suited as a shop, but is was full of character.

When the shopping center got built, Anbi moved into another old building, but on one floor, which is where it is now. The wooden floors are creaky, and vintage furniture is part of the interior.

The shop is full of “hygge”.

Both Herdis and Jette are lovely characters, and very popular. Some customers almost panic, if they see Jette isn’t there. She is very much part of the Anbi experience.

Which is an apt seque to the 4th lesson from a shop that’s been thriving on the High Street for more than 50 years…

4. Be customer focused - above and beyond

Jette spoils her customers, and they love her! She treats them well, always, in her own quiet, friendly way. She goes above and beyond for them. Some gets to borrow the clothes home to try, without a deposit, just trust! Yes, you read that right. And it’s never been misused.

She has fixed holes, sewed buttons on for people, you name it. She has become part of their life’s story, and she listens to them.

The average age of an Anbi customer is probably around 65, and there aren’t many places for her to be seen and appreciated as much as she does by Jette. There are a large amount of enormously loyal customers, many of whom have been coming for 20-30 years into this little shop.
I have never experienced anything like it.

This customer loyalty is one of the biggest joys and privileges of working there.

The average open rate of the newsletter, I write weekly, is around 70%! That’s high.

That is why it came as HUGE chok, when Jette announced…

A new adventure awaits…Anbi is moving

This Autumn Jette decided to move Anbi out to the estate where she lives, Tammestrup Gods.

She lives on a big estate with her oldest daughter and her family, and others. They each rent a house on the estate. Her oldest daughter also has a showroom, selling vintage furniture, Mineral Fusion Paint, vintage and upcycled homeware.

Every day since, we (the 3 of us working there), must have answered “why” and “where” countless times a day.

The reaction to the move ranges from Jette being told off, disbelief, and to huge sadness.

The “why”?

Jette is 65 years old, and has always said, when she’s 67 she’ll retire. The decision to move came now, because the street outside the shop is going to be changed to pedestrian, so there will be road works outside the windows for months on end, starting next year 2025.

Apart from the dreadful noise we’d have to endure, there’s no question it would affect sales. So, the decision was made for her.

This way, she will scale down, decide her own opening hours, save on the colossal rent she pays now. Yes, she will lose out on impulse buys, but this is where having created a destination brand, with a large group of loyal customers, is so, so important.

Then there’s the web shop, photography, and online presence, which is what I do. Still part-time.

What’ll happen with this iconic Skanderborg clothes shop in the next few years, we’ll see. I know for me, it’s a huge joy and privilege to be part of the journey - even for a little bit.

How you can use these 4 lessons in your business

Whether you have a brick-and-mortar shop, a web shop, or both, there’s so much we can learn from Anbi.

Be clear about what you stand for. What are your values, and your North Star?

How can you offer something few others can? There’s such joy and profit in having a distinctive business, a business people know they can rely on for a specific service, or product.

For me, I’m asking myself how I can create a positive experience for my customers. I know I’m value-led, and with the same values as Anbi (which is why I’m working there), but am I making that clear enough?

I don’t know how long I’ll be working there, maybe another year, but however long it’ll be, I am taking so much away with me, that I’ll be processing it for a long time to come.

I hope you have found this post useful.
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