Heyday

(© Saskia Vanderstichele)

A new shop recently opened: Heyday, a place that sells rare editions of books, unique finds, knickknacks, postcards, and lots of other great little things for young and old.

In a leopard-print blouse, Pauline Rauzy is Brussels’s rock ’n’ roll version of Amélie Poulain. Her playful Facebook film about looking for the perfect location for her shop is definitely worth watching. The cheerful Frenchwoman from Nantes ended up on Vossenstraat/rue des Renards, in the heart of the Marolles. Heyday is an initiative of Mehdi Allais, who has managed the legendary Avec/Met Plaizier for the past two years, Sara Jardy, and Pauline, who wanted to open a new shop to complement the exceptional range at Avec/Met Plaizier. In an age of extreme labeling and categorisation, the indefinable is precisely what makes this place so special. The concept of Heyday is to sell books without being a bookshop, to sell tchotchkes without being a junk market, and to foster a connection between artists and the general public without being a gallery. Wind-up metal robots, iron-on spangled decorations, kaleidoscopes, fair trade Tony's Chocolonely chocolate, reproductions of old posters, paper wallets made by Mighty Wallet, notebooks, a golden cobra to pimp your favourite motorised vehicle, decorations, innumerable postcards, spinning tops, and much, much, much more. Most of the books are published by small companies and range from Banksy to Japanese publications of optical illusions. Pauline sells many limited edition items, so you have a good excuse to pop in regularly to discover new things. As a little extra, you can take a stool at the bar and enjoy a fresh smoothie, a heart-warming coffee, and other delicacies. Heyday is a collection that represents Pauline’s life and world, a universe that ranges from serious art to tremendous kitsch. The neon light adverts on the wall and the pop beats on the stereo give the whole place a retro touch. The holidays are approaching faster than you think so this should certainly become a trusted spot on your shopping route. For only a few euros you can find great treasures for under the tree. I have already put the little book of deliciously wrong 1980s hairdos on my wish list.

HEYDAY ••••
Vossenstraat 8 rue des Renards, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-502.88.61, www.heyday.be, 10 > 18.00