The “Golden Stag”
Sometimes you don't realize that life is handing you a gift. In this case, the recipient was Sybille Frey, who in the autumn of 2020 was wandering through Lübeck's old town in search of a shop and discovered the "Hirsch-Apotheke" pharmacy at Hüxstraße 76, which had been vacant since 2018, little suspecting that this would develop into the project of her life.
Sustainable & fair pop-up
The "Goldener Hirsch" shop offers a wide range of handcrafted wonders, including hand-turned writing instruments and everyday objects made from local and exotic woods, comfortable leather clothing, hand-bound books, hand-strung jewelry made from eco-fair beads, hand-made plant-based soaps, and hand-extracted honey. Each product is crafted with extraordinary attention to detail in Northern Germany using sustainable and/or fair-trade certified materials. This is the passion of the team of currently fourteen like-minded, dedicated producers who share the same values and vision and embrace ecological and social responsibility.
It all started with chance encounters and conversations at craft markets. People exchanged ideas, gave each other tips, and thus quite unintentionally created a network that now supports the "Golden Stag" project—a network that wouldn't exist at all without the current pandemic. When virtually all craft markets were canceled in 2020, the Christmas season, so crucial for manufacturers, collapsed, along with one of their key sales channels. This led the network partners to develop the idea of opening a pop-up store in Lübeck's Old Town for the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The daring feat
Jewelry designer Sybille Frey had already set her sights on the building at Hüxstraße 76 and, thanks to a tip, tracked down the owners, who were immediately receptive to the idea of a pop-up store and gave nine manufacturers a new home in their former pharmacy. In just four weeks, Sybille Frey's team managed to breathe new life into the historic premises. "A real feat," as Sybille Frey calls it, because although the wonderful furniture could be used immediately, the organizational effort in such a short time was immense. They launched on November 2nd under the conditions of the partial lockdown. A challenge, because despite the store's ideal location on the popular Hüxstraße, the team and its diverse offerings were completely unknown. After only six weeks, the strict lockdown came, the store had to close, and the story could have ended there. But things turned out differently.
There is nothing good unless you do it.
Within this short time, the store's creators received so much positive feedback and consistently encouraging customer responses that the realization dawned: "We're doing something right here." It seemed as if this very shop had been waiting for the owners of the artisan workshop. Their high-quality products were showcased perfectly amidst the historic furniture, shelves, and drawers, all imbued with the charming atmosphere of the former pharmacy. And so the plan matured: "We'll lease long-term." The unprecedented support of the owners proved to be a stroke of luck in this endeavor; they even waived the rent during the lockdown and actively supported the team's ideas and activities. And it was clear from the outset that the shop would be called "Golden Stag," as the antlered figure on the facade hinted at this special and somewhat magical place from afar—a place that still offers endless potential for further development—in the former pharmacy laboratory, in the garden behind the building, and in additional rooms on the first floor.
Suddenly a businesswoman
Whatever Sybille Frey tackles, she pursues with 150 percent passion, as she herself says. She acts as a tenant and pours all her energy into the conceptual work, which brings her immense joy. With all the upcoming changes, however, she is determined to preserve the building's history and keep it alive with other suitable manufacturers. It almost seems as if she surprises herself, with her courage to start something completely new and to take responsibility for the success of a shop for many independent businesses. What drives her in this life project is the firm conviction that she and her colleagues can use the "Golden Stag" to set an example for a shift in values and contribute to a change in consumer behavior. The former pharmacy is intended to be a bridge from the past to the future. From a time when raw materials and resources were used wisely and consciously. To a time when sustainable living will once again be relevant. And it is meant to be a place of respectful interaction with one another and with customers.
The team is brimming with ideas on how to share their skills and knowledge in a variety of ways in the future, for example, by having producers provide information about the materials and fabrics they use and offering interested people a glimpse behind the scenes. They are also considering an insect- and bee-friendly garden, sewing and spinning courses, and workshops in traditional bookbinding. These are currently just plans. But what is already possible today: buying stylish, surprising, useful, delicious, practical, and decorative items and engaging in conversation with producers who work sustainably.
Lübeck is a Fairtrade city.
Here you can learn more about Lübeck's initiatives and sustainable enjoyment.
