Gestalten

Half-bookstore, half-creative agency, the hybrid beast known to others simply as MENDO reigns supreme Amsterdam. Let's start with the interior: a high-gloss, inky black aesthetic provides the perfect backdrop for the shop's well-curated selection of art, fashion, photography and architecture publications. Now let's get to the attitude: cheeky, confident and not afraid of self-aggrandizing statements like being prepared for "world domination," this is one bookstore with enough sass to keep things constantly afresh.

How did MENDO happen? Were you first a creative agency or a bookstore?
Being a creative agency, we were always looking for inspiration through books. One day we decided it would be nice to start a store in Amsterdam. The first time we went looking in the city center we hit the jackpot. We've been here ever since.

What influences your selection of books?
We have a stupid simple and yet extremely successful selection policy: We like it? We buy it. We don't follow trends. And we're arrogant enough to think that our clients rely on us to make the pre-selection.

Amsterdam has its own distinct design culture – how would you describe it?
What we see in Amsterdam is a growth in small, creative, high quality initiatives. Whether it's an interior design agency, a fashion brand or an art platform. All have very strong characters behind it. And all open for interesting collaborations.

Favorite Gestalten book?
At the moment we're fond of Arcadia, but our all-time favorite has to be the first version of Büro Destruct. Back in the days that was really something else.

Your website design might be one of the most original we've seen for a bookstore. What are you trying to express?
We do not sell books online, because we feel most of them are so special that you should see and feel them before you buy them. Also browsing the shelves and visiting our surroundings is an essential additional value. We want to express that value also online by creating a slightly different website.

All-time bestseller at the shop?
That has to be David LaChapelle's Heaven to Hell. And Mario Testino's Portraits. Those are our signature books. Even though we have a rather small selection of books and we always strive to be up to date we will always be selling those two books.

What were the challenges in conceiving the store's space?
None, we hired one of the best interior architects in Amsterdam with an ambitious assignment: to make MENDO the most beautiful bookstore in Europe. And they delivered!

Most played song on your shop's soundtrack?
Currently we hear a lot of David Gray's album, Draw the Line. And since the album starts with "Fugitive," that's probably our most played song.

What's MENDO's clientele like?
We have nothing but friendly, funny, intelligent and handsome customers here.

What are your future plans?
World domination.