Entrepreneur Jiří Stopka: Czechs prefer cars to interiors
Successful people who establish thriving businesses and stories of their success, are always inspirational to others. Jiří Stopka began by designing furniture, he then founded a family business, which has its design projects all over the world – from Moscow and London, through Switzerland and Maledives to as far as the Caribbean!
Jiří Stopka is an engineer by trade, but an artist in soul. In 1990, he began creating design furniture from brass and glass for goldsmiths and watchmakers. Soon, his customers started to commission furniture for their own private homes, and especially, kitchens. Here began the idea to import kitchens, and later, high-end furniture from abroad.
It began with a kitchen, which is also the most important room in Jiří Stopka‘s own house.
“I like to cook, so I’m familiar with kitchens and I’m always around one. This helps me to give better advice to people.”
Jiří Stopka says, that although an entire kitchen should be refitted every 10 years, refittings take place every 17 years in the Czech Republic. This can be explained by the fact that interiors are Czech people‘s last priority, he adds. More important for us are cars, clothes or travelling.
What is Stopka’s showroom preparing next?
“For Spring we’re preparing a new collection of the best German kitchens from the brand SieMatic and we’re expanding our selection of products by kitchens from Poliform, which I believe to be a high-end producer of kitchens today. In the meantime, one of our kitchens will be fully operational, and we’ll invite various culinary icons,” the successful entrepreneur revealed.
The company also plans a reconstruction of the entire showroom, the space will open up, Stopka needs to be perceived as a lifestyle brand. The main advantage of the showroom Stopka remains, and that is that customers will have all the equipment of the interior in one place, which reconfirms the new slogan “Perfection in One Cube”.
Although the company’s flagship products are kitchens, you will find many renowned world brands of other interior furniture like beds, closets or living room furnitre.
“I don’t claim that there is something perfect from the perspective of design, but it doesn’t work” Jiří Stopka says.
Brands are chosen for the showroom depending on design, but they also have to have a high use value. Function is another quality that our Czech customers prefer to design. However, in Showroom Stopka you can find interior furniture, which manages to combine both aspects. And what are the current interior trends?
„Definitely minimalism. Simple, clear lines and concrete is a continual favourite. Alumium in combination with reflective, white surfaces are slowly pushed out of the way by aged copper, brass or bronz and warmer hues,“ he says.
Showroom Stopka offers unique kitchens from brands Poliform and SieMatic, a whole series of appliances by Miele, furniture from, among others, Minotti, Walter Knoll or Riva 1920, COR, Draenet and also Poliform, beds from brand Schramm or Interlübke and many more. The company Stopka is a family business, which treats its clients individually, and you will find everything you need under one roof. You can find Showrooms Stopka in Klimentská street in Prague 1
