THE VIBE of Jeroen Veldkamp

Jeroen Veldkamp, co-owner of COFFEELAB, a connector at Bakkie040, and above all creative, can't stop talking. Luckily, that's not bad because you'll only get to know him and his vibe better. He loves Eindhoven and cherishes sharp edges, excitement, and interesting people (of the kind he belongs to). But most important and the common denominator between him and all those who will follow him in this list: he stands for the Eindhoven energy and loves to share it. We asked him five questions. 

What gives you energy?

'Pooh. Several things. I get energy from collaborations. Eindhoven gives me energy. That sounds like an obvious one, but it's true. I get energy from creating things that don't exist yet. And making other people happy. I am a natural creative. Of course, they come in many shapes and sizes. Some work within boundaries and make art or design or music. That's just not me. But I always see possibilities.

Take COFFEELAB, for example. We are recreating ourselves. First, we were 'just' a coffee shop; now, we have five of them, and we notice that our role is changing. We are no longer primarily there to give people coffee. We are much more concerned with solving loneliness. Or connecting people. And COFFEELAB plays an essential role in this. I get specific energy from looking for the deeper layer in this case. What our part with COFFEELAB and the community is.'

How do you share THE VIBE?* 

'In different ways. The COFFEELAB vibe consists of various ingredients: coffee, love (for example, perhaps a crocheted heart), the smell of coffee and fresh banana bread and plants, and nature. We share the energy all the time, for example, by asking a personal question at a coffee-to-go. It only takes a minute, but in this way, we create a little highlight that, hopefully, lingers throughout the day. It makes people think: that was fun. That also gives me energy. 

I share my vibe with my tattoos: the three vibes. They stand for energy. In Eindhoven, I experience a good vibe. The vibe is something you don't see, but  do feel. Sometimes it's someone's vibe, and sometimes it's like love. If it's good, you will feel it.' 

*THE VIBE can stand for both the clothing brand and the city's energy. 

What is your favorite place in Eindhoven?

That is one difficult question. It would have to be here (COFFEELAB). But it was that place over there (the old brand store where COFFEELAB used to be). I miss it every time, especially when the sun is shining. If you walked halfway to the VVV, you could already feel unrest. When we were in that spot, we wanted to be a little pub that opened at 07:00 in the morning. We dimmed the lights too much; the music was too loud; the sound of the coffee machines reverberated combined with the dynamics of people with their suitcases. And all those expats who were there. So old COFFEELAB was my favorite place. And now it's this one. Our location at Strijp-S is excellent, but it already has this incredible energy. It's much crisper that we're here; the contrast is beautiful. It's a very iconic building, but we make it small and gnarly in our way.'

What's your favorite item in your closet?

'That's an inside joke. That would be the very first blue hoodie with felt vibes. That was my first one, and it's also the most comfortable out of them all. It has two of those nice side pockets. It's just starting to deteriorate a bit now, but it's still good. I also have one from the new collection, but I don't wear it very often, but Mieke (his wife) does. Nice and unisex!

The best place to experience the Eindhoven energy?

'Area51. That basement is beautiful. Have you seen it? It's out of this world. It's like walking around in Berlin in some rave basement. That whole area, together with the Ketelhuisplein, it's just iconic. Wait, could you change my favorite place into Plug-in-City? It's also located on Ketelhuisplein, and the perfect place to experience the Eindhoven energy. They've plugged in three new containers for Bakkie040, a new coffee bar. It's an iniative by Trudo, The Roatery Club, and Springplank, and I'm the connector. COFFEELAB ROASTERS is in charge of the beans, which we will sell in liquid form with the help of the homeless. A micro-coffee bar that is going to make a macro impact.'