The Story of Butikbutik
Hello! My name is Jørn – and this is my place called Butikbutik.
I grew up in a small Danish village called Oue. In that little place, there was one truly special shop. It also served as the local post office, and it was simply called Holms, named after the man who ran it with his wife. The shop wasn’t large, but to a curious child it felt like a whole world – full of treasures, surprises, and the wonderful smell of goods stacked from floor to ceiling.
My favorite thing to buy was small paper bags filled with used postage stamps, torn straight off old envelopes. When I got home, I’d soak them in warm water in the sink so I could gently peel them free. Then I’d line them up to dry along the edge of our bathroom sink. Sometimes they stuck again so well that I had to scrape them off carefully – as if they didn’t want to let go.
That’s how I built my little collection of beautiful, mysterious stamps. It was like buying a lucky bag – you never knew what you’d get. I still remember the excitement of finding one that said Magyar Posta – they always seemed extra special. Below, you can see a photo of the house where Holms once stood – right on the corner of the main road from Hadsund to Hobro, running straight through the heart of Oue.
At Holms, you could also buy black licorice mice from Germany, one at a time, for 5 øre each. And there were these enormous brown ladies’ underwear that we couldn’t help giggling at when we walked past – though quietly, because if Mr. Holm heard us, we’d get a proper scolding.
The shop was packed from floor to ceiling, and you had to turn sideways to squeeze through the aisles. It was exotic and endlessly fascinating – especially for a small boy from Oue.
Looking back, I think those visits to Holms planted a seed. They gave me a lifelong love of shops, trading, and the wonderful variety of things people make and share. That love eventually turned into Butikbutik – my own little shop of everything.
Even today, I can’t resist stepping into a new store just to feel its atmosphere. Even modern supermarkets have their charm – you never know what new and curious things might be waiting on the shelves.
The Logo
The Butikbutik logo was born from that same playful spirit – full of curiosity, imagination, and a touch of nostalgia.
It’s inspired by the memory of those shelves in Holms, where things were stacked from floor to sky. That image became the heart of the design: letters piled on top of one another, forming the word “butik.”
If you look closely, you might see familiar shapes – the K looks a bit like a table from the side, the B resembles a chair, and the T could be an umbrella. But it’s open to interpretation, just like a child seeing shapes in clouds.
The logo is hand-drawn, with a warm, rustic charm – something slightly imperfect, human, and joyful. It carries the same childlike wonder that filled the aisles of Holms, where my fascination with shops first began.
Beneath the stacked letters, the word “butik” is written in a simple, clear typeface. It both repeats the name and makes it easy to read – a grounded companion to the artistic, stacked version above.
The color palette of Butikbutik draws on earthy, exotic shades of terracotta – one darker, one lighter – often paired with warm yellow, turquoise, peach, or light turquoise.
Together, these tones create a world that feels warm, lively, and almost fragrant – like the colors I remember swirling in my imagination every time I stepped into Holms as a child. ❤️
Economy and Food on the Table
My parents belonged to the post-war generation, and in our home, a steady income and food on the table were what mattered most. That was the foundation of safety and security in my family.
Work always came first – because if you didn’t work, you didn’t eat.
When I started school, I was already responsible for getting up myself, making breakfast, and heading out the door. My father had left for work before sunrise, and my mother hadn’t come home from her night shift yet.
What I remember most from those years is the loneliness – and a certain caution toward groups and communities.
Do they mean me well? Where do I belong?
Those questions have stayed with me. They’re part of the backpack I still carry from childhood.
As an adult, I went through a difficult ending to my own family life, an experience that remains, in many ways, my life’s greatest challenge.
But the day I started my own business was the day I took full responsibility for my life – and set myself free. Both professionally and personally.
I began to look closely at every part of my life and sort through it. Some things I loved, and I kept them. Others I let go of – or stepped away from completely.
That’s a little about me.
Enjoy yourself <3