An Ode to Summer in Delhi, with a Hint of Nostalgia

Think bright soft serve cones, a chilled glass of rooh-afza, and colourful swimsuits. A new concept store in the capital is an ode to summer in Delhi, with a hint of nostalgia.

POND is the result of a collaboration between design studio the BrewHouse, architecture firm Studio Organon, and fashion brand Anomaly - so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s a mix of good design, spot on branding and very trendy fashion.

“POND comes from the minds behind The Brewhouse- a design studio, Studio Organon - an architecture firm and Anomaly- a fashion brand. Our day jobs are all about creating good branding, good design and good retail. For pond, all three studios build the concept together, and make it come alive step by step using all our skill sets- whether that’s branding, decor, themes for the pop-up store, merch, collaborations etc,” Abhineet Singh, co founder and stregist at The BrewHouse (who also wears the hat of co founder at multi brand sneaker store VegNovVeg) tells The Citizen.

The concept store is a month long experiential retail space focusing on style, workmanship and fashion - with homegrown drinks and soft serve cones bringing it all together. The first curated concept store was launched on June 22, 2019 and is a month-long popup edit on till July 22, 2019.

As one approaches the store, there’s an unmissable sight that sets the tone: A big ice cream cone placed upside down at the entrance. On June 22 on its launch, the store was packed with people. As we entered, we noticed metal straws, glass straws, and straw cleaners of various designs alongside well-finished furniture. “It’s not just important to be eco-friendly right now; we think it should be a part of every brands hygiene whether that means sustainable packaging, reducing waste or moving from plastic to biodegradable items. We’re just trying to do our small bit,” Singh says.

On venturing further, we found ourselves as a food and beverage counter with an unconventional twist. Instead of serving the regular Coke and Pepsi, it was stocked with Campa Cola, Banta, roo-afza and cold brew coffee. Singh says, “We wanted to really highlight that nostalgic summer feeling. We grew up with these drinks. Campa to us, is the real taste of India - it came before coke and that’s what we knew first. A lot of our summer vacations were spent with these drinks”.

This store is definitely a stop for the ice-cream lovers in Delhi. It houses organic ice cream cones with flavours from around the world, with delicious soft servings like mango-cinnamon and more.

We looked through the vibrant clothing line by ‘Anomaly’ and checked out the sneaker collection by ‘VegNonVeg’. The store’s colourful and chic clothing line alongside a swimwear line by PA.NI and jewellery assemblage by Olivia Dar made quite a statement. “We want to provide a platform or place for interesting things, for young designers to showcase their work within a concept store that’s tightly curated around a theme. It’s only on for a month so once it’s gone it’s gone,” Singh tells us.

The emporium harbours exciting accessories by ‘Say it with a pin’, art by ‘Arjun Sara’, eyewear by ‘King Children’. The store has a chill spot located on the first floor, where you can kick back and sink in to relax, Campa in hand. .

What’s the next edit once summer is over? “We’re not sure what yet, but there’ll be something new and exciting out very soon.”

POND is a creative community, co-working and multi-purpose design studio in the heart of New Delhi. The concept store is now open, with Summer setting the theme. You can find it here: B6-7/19, Commercial Complex. B6 Market, Safdurjung Enclave, New Delhi