As many of you know by now: we have moved! Two months ago we opened the doors of our new store with great pleasure at Korte Nieuwstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp .
After a short closure of one week to move everything, we said goodbye to our old spot in the South. Not just a move, but the end of an era. After 22 years in the Museumstraat we chose a new challenge in the historical city center of Antwerp.
Why this move?
We often get asked, “Why did you move?” And honestly, there are many reasons.
Retail is changing
The city is changing, and so are the shopping streets. More and more shops are disappearing, and the ones that remain are often large chains that focus purely on visibility. For small independents like us, that is not sustainable. Our shop in the South was beautiful and large (400 m²), but today we are going for smaller & atmospheric: a shop of 150 m², open at the most important moments when most of you can come by:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, every day from 12 noon to 6 pm .
The South has changed
Today, the South is mainly a nice place to live or have a drink, but no longer a shopping area . The Museumstraat used to be vibrant, but many colleagues have disappeared or shifted to food. For interior and design, people now look elsewhere.
The city centre comes alive again
The streets around the cathedral are being thoroughly renovated. It is more pleasant here than ever: less car-driven, greener, and more and more shops are finding their place again. Our shop is located in a renovated street in a beautiful heritage building, we could not pass up this opportunity.
A new audience
Thanks to our new location, we are getting to know a lot of new customers. Some of you never heard of Matriks two months ago, while we have been in Antwerp for 22 years. Now we are also reaching people who are in town for the weekend, or who happen to pass by.
A fresh start
After 22 years we felt it was time for something new. We left the old shop shelves behind and opted for a completely new interior. The result? A warm, fresh shop full of character , where every item has its place. You are more than welcome to come and discover it for yourself!
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About us
Matriks is a family business. Started in 2003 by my mother, Ann, who still regularly comes by to say hello. In 2018, I, Tom, took over the shop with much love.
But Matriks, that's literally what I am today.
In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to keep a physical store open. Staff has become unaffordable. Our last employees were temporary workers, to whom I had to say goodbye with regret three months ago (at least in terms of work, we still get along very well).
From now on, everything is in my hands : from the shop layout to placing orders, sales, packing webshop orders, even deliveries and accounting. It's a lot of work, but I do it with pleasure — for you.
Come over sometime?
Are you curious about the atmosphere of the new store? Do you want to get to know our own scented candles , new brands or just browse around? Feel free to drop by, or follow us on Instagram for a look behind the scenes.