A coffee at DOUGLAS? Absolutely! But our new DOUGLAS Café in Düsseldorf is much more than a traditional café. In this interview, Alessa Sofia Arndt, Team Lead Social Media & Social Commerce DACH at the DOUGLAS Group, reveals what the new curated pop-up space is all about and what customers can look forward to in the coming months.
As Team Lead Social Media & Social Commerce DACH at the DOUGLAS Group, Alessa Sofia Arndt is responsible for content and campaigns on our social media channels and our social commerce platform, as well as influencer and creator management. Working closely with our brand partners, she and her team develop innovative event concepts and social happenings for the DOUGLAS community.
Alessa, what is the DOUGLAS Café?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: The DOUGLAS Café is a curated pop-up space that will serve as a flexible brand touchpoint until the end of the year. With monthly changing themes, we bring brand storytelling to life in a physical space. We're kicking things off in May with our launch concept for the new fragrance XO KHLOÉ by Khloé Kardashian. In the café, customers can experience the fragrance visually, olfactorily, and gustatorily. Signature drinks will reflect the fragrance notes, and every customer will receive a rose and a fragrance sample with their drink purchase – one in ten customers even the fragrance itself. Our goal is to bring the product to life with emotional relevance and social media potential.
How did the idea come about?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: We have been observing for some time how pop-up formats – particularly in the US – have become valuable tools for community building, achieving viral visibility and enhancing brand experience. It was clear to us that we didn't want to create a traditional café, but rather a transformable experience space that reinvents itself every month – a platform for our brands, creators, and community. Because if you want to stay relevant all year round, you don't have to reinvent yourself – you just have to keep telling your story in new ways.
(c) Daniel Graf
What are DOUGLAS' goals with the pop-up space?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: With the DOUGLAS Café, we are creating a physical touchpoint that specifically strengthens awareness, community ties, and content relevance. The pop-up serves as a flexible activation space where we can test new concepts, extend campaigns, and create experiences designed to be 'social first'. At the same time, we promote interaction with customers, creators, and brand partners. The goal is to generate reach where it arises organically, gain insights where genuine interaction happens, and establish DOUGLAS as an experience brand.
What can customers expect at the DOUGLAS Café in the coming months?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: In short, everything – just never the same thing. Each month will bring a new concept, new brands, and a new look – sometimes playful, sometimes edgy, sometimes loud but always full of attitude. The idea behind it? Relevance comes from change. That's why nothing stays the same, except our commitment to surprising you every time. But we'll give you a sneak peek: there'll be ice cream in one of the coming months. And not just any ice cream. We won't reveal any more, because that's all part of the concept. When you visit, you never know exactly what to expect, but you can be sure it'll be worth coming back for.
Can you also buy beauty products at the DOUGLAS Café?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: Yes, selected products matching the respective concepts will be offered for sale in the coming months. However, the focus is clearly on the experience, not sales. The café is intended to complement the brand journey, not interrupt it, and, of course, enable impulse purchases.
(c) Daniel Graf
Why did you choose Düsseldorf-Flingern as a location?
ALESSA SOFIA ARNDT: Flingern is not loud, but it has a presence. Ackerstraße, located in the neighborhood of our headquarters, has developed into an exciting address in recent years, popular with people who want to be where the action is before it becomes mainstream. It's not about maximum foot traffic, but about maximum attention from our target group. We wanted a place with character, a space that people seek out deliberately, not stumble upon by chance. Our DOUGLAS Café is a concept that arouses curiosity and rewards repeat visits. Once you've experienced it, you won't want to miss the next concept.
If you're curious, be sure to stop by the DOUGLAS Café:
Address: Ackerstraße 151, 40233 Düsseldorf
Opening hours: Thursday – Saturday, 10:00 – 18:00
