--- title: "In the Neighbourhood: Blick Brillen" date: 2026-08-06T10:05:00+02:00 author: development canonical_url: "https://hetindustriegebouw.nl/en/community/news/in-the-neighbourhood-blick-brillen/" section: Articles --- ![In the Neighbourhood: Blick Brillen](https://cdn.hetindustriegebouw.nl/images/articles/_1800x880_crop_center-center_90_none/2026%E2%80%9304%E2%80%9309_HIG_007.jpg) [ Interviews ](https://hetindustriegebouw.nl/en/community/interviews/)# In the Neighbourhood: Blick Brillen **The window display at Mike Portier’s eyewear shop on Pannenkoekstraat is always a real eye-catcher. One moment, frames are floating through the air on broomsticks; the next, they’re ‘sunbathing’ on a patch of green grass. “I once set myself the rule that I could never create the same display twice,” he explains. “After fourteen years, that naturally becomes increasingly difficult—but I still have a lot of fun with it.”** We meet the calm and composed Mike Portier at the bar at by Jarmusch. Pointing towards the mezzanine, he says, “Did you know that I would absolutely love to have [Blick Brillen](https://blick.nl/nl/home) at Het Industriegebouw? I always have. I genuinely think it has some of the most beautiful retail and hospitality spaces in the city. And the community is wonderful too. The only problem is that I’m so comfortable opposite [Brasserie Pierre](https://www.pierrerotterdam.nl/). So I’ll only move if Pierre comes with me; otherwise, it feels too daunting,” he says with a laugh. “But I certainly can’t complain. I’m currently based in a charming little 1950s building with a beautiful shop window. I use it quite literally as my creative window into the shop.” **The Beginning of Blick** “I still remember arriving on Pannenkoekstraat. It was 2011, Pierre had only just opened and the sun was shining. I was visiting Rotterdam when I noticed that my little building was available. I decided almost *on the spot* to take the plunge and open my own shop. We opened on 24 December, and just before the new year, I sold my first pair of glasses. To guests from where…? Exactly, Pierre! In the beginning, most of my customers were passers-by. These days, they mainly find us through word of mouth. I now have five employees, each of whom brings in their own following. Contrary to the current trend, we don’t have a particularly strong online presence.” **From Fashion to Frames** Mike continues: “I started in fashion, but somewhere along the way, I took a turn towards optics. I began that career in the fashion capital of Antwerp, where I worked very happily for three years. When I returned to the Netherlands, I continued working as an optician while studying Commercial Economics. I later became a sales representative for a German eyewear brand and was constantly travelling. It was enjoyable for a while, but there always seems to be a traffic jam somewhere in Germany, and covering those enormous distances eventually starts doing strange things to your mind. What I found particularly inspiring was visiting some of the most beautiful shops along the way.” **I’m Just Here to Look…** “And that’s how I found myself negotiating for my own retail premises in 2011. The landlord asked, ‘What’s your offer?’ An offer, I thought—I have no idea; I’m only here to look… Then I received a call that evening telling me the property was mine. That’s when the penny finally dropped: apparently, it was time for a new challenge,” Mike says. “Because my decision was so spontaneous, I didn’t really have a plan, and the financial crisis made those first few years difficult. The turning point didn’t arrive until 2015. The Markthal had just opened, and Rotterdam was frequently making the news for all the right reasons. A new energy was buzzing through the city, and Blick immediately benefited from it.” **Going Deeper into the Niche** “Interestingly, my partnership with Ace & Tate was also a great move. Because they began online, they needed physical partners where customers could have their eyes tested. I liked the concept, and they offered stylish, affordable frames, so I decided to work with them. When they later opened their own shop diagonally opposite mine, their accessible range became a great complement to my more *high-end* collection. They also attracted more young people to our corner of the city, so the arrangement ultimately benefited us both. Accessibility is very important to me too, but their presence allows me to focus more closely on the designer market. Going deeper into my niche has been the most profitable business decision I’ve ever made. It’s incredibly important for customers to understand exactly what you stand for.” **No Barriers** “And what do I stand for?” Mike pauses to think. “Most importantly, I want my shop to feel welcoming, warm and homely, with small seating areas and a good cup of coffee. I also dislike the way people with smaller budgets are often looked down upon in *high-end* retail. Turning a shop into an unapproachable fortress creates an enormous barrier for them. In the early days, Blick mainly attracted men looking for an accessory that would allow them to express their individuality. They were simply nice people searching for a unique pair of frames—a very appreciative group of customers whom I genuinely enjoy helping. That’s why we always carry at least one relatively affordable brand. At the moment, that’s the Swedish label Chimi.” “The collection is also shaped by a combination of highly personal tastes. Put simply, I want people to leave our shop with something that feels like an extension of who they are. It might be something spectacular, but it can also be found in a very simple design. I generally avoid the major names and feel a much stronger connection with smaller designers, many of them European, such as [Pontet Eyewear](http://www.pontet-eyewear.com/), [HUG](http://www.hug-spectacles.com/), [Lazare Studio](http://www.lazare.studio/), [Yellows Plus](http://www.yellowsplus.com/), [Folc](http://www.folc-eyewear.com/) and [Emmanuelle Khanh](http://www.ek.fr/).” **Balance** Remarkably, at the time of our conversation, Mike is completing an internship as a funeral director. “Over the past few years, I’ve encountered the profession several times. It’s intense, but fascinating. Everything revolves around balance and acting according to your instincts. It may sound strange, but even within the funeral profession, you can distinguish yourself by remaining true to your unique personality. In that sense, I see a certain overlap with retail. That’s why I decided to do this internship. If I pursue it further, it will always be alongside Blick—never instead of it,” he concludes contentedly. Blick | Pannekoekstraat 37A Tue–Fri: 11:00–19:00 Sat: 11:00–17:00 [www.blick.nl](http://www.blick.nl/) [ ![](https://cdn.hetindustriegebouw.nl/images/articles/_910x600_crop_center-center_90_none/2026%E2%80%9304%E2%80%9309_HIG_002_2026-08-20-141605_mnet.jpg) #### Interviews ### HIG’s Summer Shop Special ](https://hetindustriegebouw.nl/en/community/news/higs-summer-shop-special/) [ ![](https://cdn.hetindustriegebouw.nl/images/articles/_910x600_crop_center-center_90_none/Schermafbeelding-2026-06-30-om-14.26.08.png) #### Interviews ### HIG’s Heatwave Plan: De IJsmaker ](https://hetindustriegebouw.nl/en/community/news/higs-heatwave-plan-de-ijsmaker/)