F: Can you tell us about HEJKØH?

CK. The word HEJKØH comes from the Swiss German word "hei-cho" which means "coming home". Our credo is "welcome home", this is the way we're meeting our customers. Next to the concept store there is also a small coffee shop where you can enjoy a nice coffee and a snack.

F. What made you decide to open a lifestyle store and coffee shop?

CK. I loved the kind of mixed concept stores I saw on my travels and was always hoping for such a place to open in Basel. A place where everything sold is actually put into a scene in store, so you feel like you're entering someone's home. At the same time, there is someone in the kitchen baking a chocolate cake and the smell of cake and coffee fills the air. The wish to personally create such a place grew steadily and suddenly a bit more than 2 years back HEJKØH opened its doors!

F. You've recently started selling Falcon enamelware. What’s your favourite product and what do you use it for?

CK. Our favourite and best selling item from Falcon so far is the 3 Pint Jug, we love the beautiful colours available and the timeless shape. The product is light and as well as a jug, it looks beautiful as a vase.

F. Is there a specific dish that you would personally make using any of our Falcon products?

CK. I have a lovely recipe for a dutch apple crumble with cinnamon, that would fit perfectly in your square bake tray. And for Summer any of the salads we make at HEJKØH with hummus and grilled veggies would look great in a Falcon salad bowl.

F. Are there any other local companies you'd like to shoutabout? Where do you usually eat, drink, source ingredients in your local area?

CK. There are so many lovely places in Basel, you can start the day sitting outside of the café del mundo – Basel. Do some food shopping in the Markthalle and get a small lunch bite there. Later enjoy the best ice cream from ACERO and take a walk along the river. At sunset get some drinks in an amazing wine bar called Consum and dinner in the Clarabasel. If I'm still up for a drink after dinner I would go to the Teufelhof Bar.

F. How have you been keeping during this time? Do you have any tips for small business owners?

CK. Two lockdowns in one year has been tough! But we're lucky to have a great customer crowd with very personal contact. So we’ve had a lot of support. During the first lockdown, we launched our online store, which is helping us a lot. But even if the store is closed, you need to be very active, putting all your energy in the assortment, reflecting on the actual customers' needs which are actually different during a lockdown, and communicating as much as possible through social media. So there is never a dull moment, even if from the outside, it looks like there is nothing to do :-)

https://hejkoh.ch 
Address: Spalenberg 15, 4051 Basel, Switzerland

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