For nearly three years, I was the owner and sole employee of Print Matters!, a Zurich-based store specializing in independent magazines and books. The brand was originally founded in 2015 as a pop-up shop, moving between various locations across the city. When the original founders decided to step away in 2018, I took over and transformed it into a permanent store with the help of a successful crowdfunding campaign.

While the pop-up shop featured a limited selection of magazines, the new store offered an expanded range, including books, prints, and postcards. In addition to establishing a physical location, I also launched a new website featuring the full product range and international shipping options.

My responsibilities included:

• Curating and purchasing magazines and books

• Managing social media channels and newsletters

• Handling accounting tasks

• Providing excellent customer service

• Developing marketing strategies and creating graphics

THE STORE

The furniture for the store was custom-designed to perfectly fit the space at Hohlstrasse 9. Every piece was crafted from the same white-glazed sea pine plywood, creating a cohesive and minimalist aesthetic. The benches and desks were designed to be multifunctional, allowing the space to transform for events like concerts or readings.

The store’s layout had an inviting, apartment-like feel, divided into two areas: the spacious main store and a cozy back room furnished with chairs and books that encouraged visitors to stay and explore. Plants and carpets gave the space a warm, living-room atmosphere, making it far more than just a typical store.

Over its three years, the interior evolved slightly as the stock grew, but the welcoming vibe remained intact. The photos below provide a glimpse of how the store looked.

 
 

EVENTS

The physical store was more than just a shop—it was also a vibrant venue for local events. In its first year, the space hosted a variety of gatherings, including intimate concerts, book and magazine launches, and readings. Each event brought its own unique atmosphere, attracting diverse audiences and giving the store a dynamic, ever-changing personality.
The photos below offer a glimpse into some of these memorable events that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic.

 
 

Marketing

Every two weeks, a newsletter was sent to a growing audience of 2,000 subscribers. It went beyond simply showcasing products, offering valuable and engaging content tailored to the interests of our customers.

Find an example of a full Newsletter here.

 
 

PRESS

Print Matters! was the only physical store for independent magazines in Zurich. Thanks to this uniqueness the press wrote about it frequently. Below is a summary of the articles written about Print Matters! from 2019 - 2024.

 

INSTAGRAM

The instagram account turned out to be one of the most important marketing tools for Print Matters! As I started to focus on informational instagram stories and content to help people find out more about the magazines the amount of followers quickly grew from 3’000 to 7800 followers within 2 years. Working with paid promotions supported the sales during holiday seasons such as Christmas and Valentines day. Visit the instagram account printmattersstore to see more.

This is it. We are opening our doors one last time this week for a final sale before we close our doors forever at Hohlstrasse 9. Come by this week Tuesday - Saturday from 11 - 7pm to get anything from magazines to t-shirts to furniture. It‘s
Never easy to write lines like these. Especially on a Monday. With a heavy heart Print Matters! is announcing its closing as of today. The journey up to this day was unbelievable. It all started in 2015 with a small pop-up shop and quickly became m
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