Grandpa Family: Anders Johansson

The name Grandpa really stands out—how did you land on it?

The name was Jonas and Martin’s idea. They thought it sounded nice. I’ve always thought it’s a pretty crappy name to be honest.

But the truth is I was called “Farfar” (“Grandpa” in Swedish) by a chef at the restaurant Cliff Barnes, where all three of us worked at one point. So that’s where the name comes from—we just thought it sounded a bit cooler in English. We had already been throwing parties and arranging events under the name Grandpa, so when we opened the store, the name was already there.

The first store was on Södermannagatan 21—what was Södermalm like back in 2003?

The area was starting to bubble a bit, but it didn’t really boom until a few years later. There were some good bars, cafés, and small independent shops, but nothing like today.

A few guys in the area jokingly came up with “SoFo” on a night out, and the press picked it up and loved it. It was useful for us to have a name for the area, but I still think it’s a bit cheesy.

Södermannagatan was completely different. Our space was an office with curtains covering the windows. There were mostly closed businesses around—someone weaving rugs, a pottery, a silversmith, a worn-out antique shop. Hard to imagine now.

If you compare Grandpa then and now—what has changed the most, and what has stayed the same?

The biggest difference is that we now know what we’re doing. Back then we had no clue how to run retail. We’d go to Copenhagen Fashion Week and drink beer while buying. The assortment was all over the place. I’m sure there’s still beer being drunk, but now there’s a plan—and a budget.

What’s stayed the same is that we’ve always had great staff. That’s something we’ve never lost.

Retail is a tough business—was there ever a point where you felt like giving up?

I’ve never thought about giving up, but you constantly have to reset and rethink how you work. That’s probably true for most industries.

We’ve had plenty of setbacks, especially in recent years, but we’ve also always evolved. It’s been both motivating and, at times, tough.

A moment that really symbolizes Grandpa for you?

We’ve done so many things—events, parties—I have tons of memories, but it’s hard to pick one.

Maybe when artist Micke Reuter did a performance dancing naked in the shop window. A classic.

Otherwise, what really symbolizes Grandpa for me is what we call a “Grandpa moment.” It’s when everything happens at the exact same time—morning staff training in the store, garbage collection outside, a Japanese magazine showing up to do a feature, the accountant dropping by, while someone upstairs is renovating their apartment and drilling through the entire building. That was a lot of our mornings.

Your role has changed a lot over the years—how has that journey been, and what have you enjoyed the most?

I’ve been everywhere in the company, but mainly I handled the finances—which wasn’t the most fun. I’m quite practical, so I enjoyed it most when I had more of a handyman role.

I rebuilt stores, made interiors in our workshop. I also tried photographing products for the webshop for a very short time—I fired myself pretty quickly. I was terrible.

What are you doing today?

Today I work at a boatyard. I’ve never liked sitting behind a desk, so I wanted to try something new. I spend a lot of time out at sea, working with my hands and using my practical skills. I move around a lot too—so I don’t get skinny-fat…

Honestly, it’s a dream job. I love it.