About Us
A personal story about a passion for trade, creativity and customer interaction, from a Rotterdam market to an established fantasy store in Terneuzen.
About Us
From Rotterdam to Terneuzen
As a native of Rotterdam from the Crooswijk neighborhood, I (Tilly) had been trading in all kinds of items since my early childhood. I pickled leftover cucumbers from the market and sold them to spectators during the Crooswijk cycling race. As a 10-year-old, I financed my first real purchase—100 little Buddha figurines—with my earned savings, and I sold them from a cargo bike at the Markt on De Blaak. After a few hours, I had to leave the market because I had “forgotten” to pay for a market stall…
The enjoyment and success of that sale inspired me to continue working in retail. In the years that followed, I also enjoyed working in various stores, selling everything from perfumes, lamps, and flowers to cheese, spices, and deli meats. Interacting with people, having friendly chats, and being able to help customers to their satisfaction continued to give me a great sense of fulfillment.
After traveling all over the country, I eventually ended up in Terneuzen (Zeeland), where we’ve been living for more than 35 years now. Despite health problems that forced me to start using a wheelchair, I remained fascinated by the business. Small and large shipments of all kinds of goods came and went.
First Little Store and the Internet
A small retail space became available for rent within walking distance of our home, on a side street off the main shopping street, and on a whim, I decided to take the plunge. In September 2001, the lease was signed, and we could begin setting up the shop. A few weeks later, the store had its grand opening. We also took our first tentative steps online by developing a website: www.troepje.nl.
The product range consisted mainly of charming figurines and statues of, for example, dragons, elves, and all kinds of animals, supplemented by handmade decorative items that allowed me to give free rein to my ever-bubbling creativity. A few years later, the product range was expanded to include decorative daggers and beautiful swords from well-known movies, TV series, and video games.
A larger store and a new online store
In 2008, it was time to move to a larger retail space on the main shopping street, where we are still located today. A major benefit of the extra space was that my living room was no longer so cluttered with boxes and containers. The website was further expanded, and we launched an online store: www.zwaardenwinkel.nl.
Since we’re now shipping more and more to countries throughout the EU, we’ve also launched a more internationally oriented online store: www.eurofantasyshop.com.
The Future
Interacting with customers—both in person and online—still brings me the same joy and satisfaction I felt as a 10-year-old at the Blaak market. If I’m lucky, I hope to be part of this for many more years, and if you visit us in the store and I’m there too, don’t be surprised—I’m still a bit of “that delightfully eccentric Crooswijk street urchin.”
