Studio Arhoj

The doors of both Studio Arhoj shops in Copenhagen barely close. Crowds pour in: tourists with smartphones in hand, locals who know the staff by name, and just curious passers-by. Weekdays and weekends it's equally busy inside, and it's no random hype. Everything here is set up so you can see the process with your own eyes.

At the flagship store on Skindergade 7, glassblowers blow fun figurines right in front of you, and a team of glazers sits nearby: they hand-coat the tableware with the famous "slime" glazes — drips of colour that never repeat. In the second shop on Nørregade 7, which feels more like a gallery, potters throw mugs, bowls and vases on the wheel right on the shop floor. They also blow glass there, make hot sand cast sculptures, and print art on a Japanese risograph. And you can buy it all.

The range in both shops is huge, your eyes won't know where to land. Don't panic, just walk up to the shelves and start looking: ceramic cups for sake and noodles, round-bellied jugs, vases, glass figurines, mysterious Crystal Blobs. A whole other story is the famous Ghosts — little earthenware creatures that look sort of alike, but each one comes out with its own "face".

Both shops sit in the very heart of Copenhagen. The flagship is on Skindergade 7, a side street a stone's throw from the Round Tower and the main shopping artery Strøget. The Study shop on Nørregade 7 is tucked by Bispetorv square, almost opposite the cathedral. Both shops are open daily from 10 to 18, and on Saturdays the flagship stays open until 19.