At Dokkumer question hour we regularly “interrogate” a known or lesser known Dokkumer. In this edition: Bart van der Zant.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Bart and I am the owner of Vintage Vinyl & Audio on Koornmarkt, a shop with vintage LPs and audio equipment. I am also the owner of Studio DOK, where I provide people with advice on living and interiors.
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What’s up with Dokkum?
I once fell in love with a girl from Dokkum! I am originally from Amsterdam, but during my studies in Groningen I met my current wife, who lived in Dokkum. At first I didn’t want to move there, now I don’t want to leave. What a beautiful city. Now I’ve found my place here.
The most beautiful place in Dokkum is it?
The answer may not be so original, but I go to the historic center: De Zijl, the strongholds… in a word, fantastic.
Complete the following sentences:
Parking in Dokkum is: well organised.
In ten years, Dokkum will be: an even more beautiful pearl for north-east Friesland!
The new market is: a great asset to Dokkum. De Markt has truly proved to be a top event location.
And then the personal questions, especially for you:
How are you?
All right! I feel comfortable here.
Tell us about your work.
As for my record shop work, it’s twofold, so to speak. I started buying used vinyls. I try all the second hand LPs I buy for quality, clean them and put them in the shop. My bins are now full of new LPs too. Vinyl is hot again, especially among young people. They also listen to a lot of modern music, of which second hand vinyl does not yet exist. That’s why I try to buy as many new LPs as possible. Buying is sometimes a challenge – there are no fixed market prices (yet) for vinyl, so it’s hard to get good deals. Fortunately, I have many contacts with colleagues across the country; we consult and keep informed as much as possible.
I am also the owner of Studio DOK, where I provide people with interior advice and hand over their interiors. Most of my work for Studio DOK is to visit clients, to find something for their home that fully meets their needs. I work very differently from the record store.
Why did you open this record shop? How did this happen to you?
In fact, I’ve always secretly had a passion for records – as a child I already had a huge collection. I was the first with Studio DOK in Kerkstraat. There I had set up a small corner for the sale of my records that I had double. From there, the range has grown considerably over the past few years: I have started buying many second hand collections for sale and now I am also expanding my range of new vinyls.
What’s so good about records?
For me it’s a little bit of magic, such a record. It’s the total experience: from the artwork on the cover to that nice crackle while listening … fantastic. Some people don’t like the sound of an LP, but I love it. Especially with older records, for example old blues music, which can be pretty crackling, you know.
What do you like most about your job?
I like the contact with people more. Especially here in the record store you share that passion for music, which leads to very interesting conversations. Then it doesn’t seem like a job at all, but more like a hobby, so that’s a nice bonus.
When and why did you move from Kerkstraat to Koornmarkt?
I was the first with Studio DOK in Kerkstraat. It was a very nice building, but not the best in terms of location. In 2020, this property on the Koornmarkt caught my eye. I spent a few weeks renovating here, before officially opening in late 2020. This is slightly more on the route for the shopping crowd.
What records in the store can you recommend to everyone?
Good question. I just got the new Oliver Sim. Sim is the lead singer and bassist of the band the xx, but has now released his first solo album. What a world record. The new album by Paolo Nutini is also highly recommended, I find it fantastic.
From the old box … Voices of Fleetwood Mac. A classic now. That album is also very popular with the younger generation, so I don’t think you can go wrong. And I think Cuby + Blizzards, a blues band from Drenthe, is absolutely fantastic. So I highly recommend their records to everyone.
What do you like doing in your free time?
Listen to the records of course;). Actually, I love everything to do with music, so I also like going to music festivals and museums, for example. Also, I love to paint!
Questions of your choice:
News from the newspaper or online? From the newspaper.
By car or by bike? When the sun shines on the bike.
Shopping online or in the city? In the city, for sure.
Finish:
Do you have any suggestions for people you would like to see during Dokkumer’s Question Hour?
Pieta Eisma by KRYT Krijtconcept, the ladies of the Zo Goed Als Nieuw shop or Amy’s Dreadhouse Amarens de Vries look beautiful to look at!
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