Anyone who steps into the Beach House on Sylt isn’t just there for a schnitzel or a coffee. The restaurant is a meeting place, a stage, an exhibition space and a networking hub all rolled into one. Jan Scharfe has been running the place for eleven years – and is now developing it together with Saltwater into a standalone lifestyle brand.
From the Sansibar to the Beach House
Scharfe’s story on Sylt did not begin at the Beach House. Before that, he worked for eight years at the legendary Sansibar. There, as he himself says, he learnt much of what he enjoys – and later brought some of that with him to the Beach House. Eleven years ago, Scharfe took over the restaurant, initially together with a partner. After his partner left, he continued to run the establishment in the dunes south of Westerland town centre on his own. Since then, the Beach House has developed into a place where gastronomy, art, music and fashion come together.
“I’m not doing all this just because I love serving schnitzel and coffee,” says Scharfe. What drives him, above all, are collaborations, encounters and the vibrancy of the place. The Beach House hosts a variety of exhibitions and concerts. Together with Holger Hübner, the founder of Wacken Open Air, they have already organised events; last year, the band Fury in the Slaughterhouse was among the guests.
“Networking, seeing the bigger picture and meeting all sorts of people – every day here is like a surprise egg.”
Many of the celebrity guests who regularly visit the Beach House have now become friends. For Scharfe, however, the cuisine remains the cornerstone of this. It has to be just right – because, as he emphasises, without quality, the rest won’t work either.
A collection with its own unique concept
The new fashion collection, developed by the Beach House in collaboration with the Saltwater surf shops, is deliberately intended to be more than just classic event merchandise. Not just any old T-shirt featuring the year and the event logo, but a standalone, wearable brand. One of the driving forces behind this was the collaboration with Holger Hübner. Jan Scharfe is generally critical of merchandise. Often, he says, cheap goods are produced that are unconvincing in terms of quality, social responsibility or environmental impact. “Nobody needs the 25th ‘Beach House Sylt Whitsun 25’ copy-shop T-shirt,” he explains. Instead, the aim is to create a collection that is more fashionable, longer-lasting and of a higher quality.
For Scharfe, the link to Saltwater was an obvious one. The name ‘Beach House’ is closely associated with the sea – and thus with a brand that also stands for the coast, water and a more conscious approach to resources. This affinity is set to give rise to a shared story: Beach House brings its gastronomic and cultural identity to the table, whilst Saltwater contributes its expertise in the development and distribution of clothing.
High-quality, limited edition and from deadstock
A key feature of the collection is the use of deadstock materials. These are fabrics that originate from overproduction and might otherwise no longer be used. New colourways and prints are planned at intervals of around six to eight weeks. The basic cuts are to remain the same. The collection includes unisex and women’s styles.
The production process differs significantly from traditional orders. Instead of defining a fixed quantity in advance and purchasing fabric specifically for that purpose, the designer works with the materials available. The designer selects suitable fabrics at the production facility and then decides how many items can be made from them – sometimes 68, other times 86 or 200 pieces. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” says Scharfe, summing up the principle.
The Beach House as a brand
The collection is already available at the Beach House on Sylt and was launched last week with a big party. Alongside friends and partners, windsurfing legend Björn Dunkerbeck and his son Liam were in attendance, as were celebrities such as Ulla Kock am Brink, who all enjoyed the drinks provided by Salitos. Some of the products are kept in stock on site, whilst others are sold online via the Saltwater shop. The joint range is also set to be stocked in Saltwater’s high-street stores. A larger distribution partnership is also planned for the future. The collection is expected to be available on About You from the first quarter of 2027.
Furthermore, Jan Scharfe is considering opening further Beach House outlets. In Kiel, for example, a dedicated area could be created where, alongside clothing, Beach House wines and coffee would also be on offer. The aim is for the partnership to gradually evolve into a more comprehensive concept – encompassing catering, fashion and gourmet products.
For Jan Scharfe, the new collection represents a further step in the development of the Beach House. The restaurant is intended to be not just a place to eat, but a brand that brings together different aspects of life. For him, fashion, music, art, coffee, wine and gastronomy belong together when they are authentically intertwined. The clothing is not merely an accessory to a visit to the restaurant, but a standalone collection with limited editions and its own distinctive style.
Find out more at beachhouse-sylt.de
