A makers collective showcasing goods from local and international artisans. We especially love the beautifully-hued beeswax Atelier Hop Arch Candles made by founder and shopkeeper, Sanne Hop. Sanne was inspired by the handmade dresses her talented grandmother made for her as a child, and the retailing heritage of her grandfather and parents, opened her own shop.

"It’s a makers collective, where I happily bring together small makers from all around the world, and where I present my own work too. Everything that is sold in the shop is handmade and has a bit of the heart and soul of the maker in them. All together I would say it’s a unique collection of beauty."

What makes Atelier Hop so unique? It’s a makers collective, where I happily bring together small makers from all around the world, and where I present my own work too. Everything that is sold in the shop is handmade and has a bit of the heart and soul of the maker in them. All together I would say it’s a unique collection of beauty.  

What are Atelier Hop’s “must-have” products?   I sell a lot of my candles, my arch candles made of 100% beeswax. They are made from white beeswax, with tiny bits of beeswax color added to them. I sell them in my own shop and these days to other shops too.  

Other than that I usually sell a lot of ceramics from various makers. I try to bring together a selection of local makers from the Netherlands to more international ones from the UK and US even, that my customers seem to really enjoy. 

What inspired you to open Atelier Hop?  Definitely it leads back to my grandmother, who was such a talented maker in her time.  She could really sew anything one would ask for, and there was so much love in everything she created.  I remember vividly how my grandmother would make me clothes when I was young.  When I would see a coat or a dress I really admired, but my mother could not buy from a shop, I’d turn to my grandmother and ask her if she could make me one exactly like it.  I suppose I didn’t completely understand how gifted and miraculous she was at the time. But I do now, and from that great and deeply felt appreciation of the handmade, I started my own shop. 

What did you do before having your own shop?  I mostly took care of our four children, a happy and appreciated period of my life for sure. Next to that I started doing some photography from home on the side. Instagram was a great opportunity for that, and it became the place where I connected with many small makers, often mothers like me. We shared values, developed a strong connection, sometimes even friendships evolved. And with a small group of makers I met here, I first started my shop. Those first people I started working with, are still part of my shop. The group of makers is ever growing though. 

How has the pandemic changed your point of view on retail?   I feel very thankful for the online community. People are more aware of what they buy and why they buy it. I think because of the pandemic and shops being closed, people were connecting more online, which logically made it more international. I still have lots of orders from all over the world, and I think and hope it will stay like this. It’s so wonderful to connect to people internationally.  

Favorite local independent businesses?   

• Big & Belg, children's shop

• Atelier Sukha clothing & home products

• Timeless Linen, homeware and linen shop

• Pantoufle, homewares

• Woodchuck, everything wood for the home.

Favorite shops

• Straw London based shop with vintage straw and homeware.

• Labour And Wait timeless and functional products, London

• Casa González & González timeless genuine and functional products for daily life

• Tea + Kate, a curated selection for the home, Felixstowe

• Rudy Jude, US based shop with plant dyed clothing.

I think we are moving towards a greater appreciation of slowly, consciously made goods. People will buy less, but well-made products. When it comes down to food, clothing, homeware, I think there is a great tendency towards this at the moment. I really hope more and more independent shops will be able to be successful and add to the diversity.