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Who are you and where can you be found?
Anton, Christopher and Mario are behind the Wind Lounge and you can find us primarily online at www.windlounge.de, but of course also in the real shop in the centre of the Leipzig lake district at Mittelstraße 25, 04416, Markkleeberg. The distances to more than ten different spots are no more than 20 minutes and we are blessed with plenty of wind - so fortunately we never sit at our desks for too long.
When was your shop founded, what have been important milestones since then?
We are almost certainly the youngest surf shop in Germany, if not Europe, and founded the Wind Lounge in 2021. Since we started completely from scratch, we have reached new milestones pretty much every month over the last few years. From the launch of the first website, our first board and sail sales and eventually our first proper office and warehouse. In the meantime, we have managed to establish ourselves as one of the most competent surf shops, especially in windsurfing. This is due to the fact that we are set up differently to our competitors. Everyone in the team is regularly on the water and Mario Kümpel in particular documents this diligently on YouTube. The resulting tutorials and action clips inspire tens of thousands of windsurfers and, of course, someone always finds their way to our shop.
What sports do you have in your programme?
We initially decided to start with windsurfing. Later, of course, we added wingfoiling. We are fully utilised with these two sports - both in the shop and in surfing.
Approximately how many boards, sails and wings do you have in stock?
It totally depends on the time of the season. In April, when the season is just starting, we have over 100 windsurfing boards in stock alone. Sails and wings a little less. However, this is also due to the fact that there are so many colours, variants and sizes that we occasionally ship directly from the manufacturer, simply because we would otherwise need a much larger storage area. As far as accessories are concerned, we usually have everything in stock, but you can always easily check this on our website.
Can I also order online from you?
Of course, we are mainly an online shop. The shop was only added later when we thought, why shouldn't people just be able to come by the warehouse and pick something up if they need it quickly?
Do you have special events like camps, flea markets, parties or something like that?
We have many special events. Our team is active at most of the big windsurfing events, such as the Defi Wind, Surf Festival or King of the Bay in Poland. Of course, this changes a little every year. Apart from that, we are very active online and on YouTube - here you can find our channels under the names "Mario Kümpel; Wind Lounge DE; Wind Lounge EN".
What makes you special?
Well, we are fully active in the scene and in tune with the times. That probably sums it up best. We know which products are working really well at the moment, which brands are on the rise and where the quality isn't quite right. Of course, you can only get this information if you spend a lot of time on the water yourself and spend time with other professionals and brand owners. Our customers love this because they feel they are getting honest, in-depth advice.
Your most bizarre/unusual experience in the shop?
Phew, there were and are quite a few. Looking back, our founding days were really crazy when we were still working in Christopher's living room. At some point, the room was so cluttered that it was really hard to move around. Then we also had to fill the corridor, the hallway, the bedroom and the kitchen. At some point, it became so extreme that the first boxes didn't even fit in the house. That's when we knew we had to think about getting our own office. But that was too small after a year, so we had the same problem again. Now we have a bigger office, but well, it's getting a bit cramped...
What is your impression of the market and the attitude of customers?
Since our foundation, we have always made an absolutely positive impression. We know that there are a lot of complaints at the moment and that things are not going well everywhere, but something seems to be different with us. Our customers are almost always in a good mood, keen to buy new equipment and happy when we help them. We have a good relationship with all the brands we sell and are generally very optimistic about the future. After all, we are regularly on the water and can practise the coolest sports in the world!
Info and contact:
Wind Lounge
Mittelstraße 25
04416 Markkleeberg
willkommen@windlounge.de
windlounge.de
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