The parasols in the space once occupied by a portion of Trinktisch are enormous, a megafauna version of your family beach umbrella. Some of the towering stainless steel stands can hold five articulating arms, each with a separate sun blocker the size of a picnic table.
The owner of the parasols can manipulate them into myriad positions, ensuring they are always in the shade – customizable shade.
The space the giant sunblockers now occupy is part of Didriks, the Belmont Center fixture that sells home goods, kitchenware, and outdoor furniture. It’s behind the old restaurant, still visible as you walk into the back.
“The best part of this space is the height of the ceilings,” said Jonathan Henke, owner of Didriks. “To really show the parasols, you need really high ceilings.”
When first looking at the new space, it’s easy to think Didriks is expanding, and they are, in a way. They are expanding down Leonard Street into their new space. But what passersby are seeing isn’t so much expansion as transition.
“We are consolidating in one location,” Henke said.
The second Didriks location in Newton Lower Falls is now closed. Sayuri Maase, who ran the shop in Newton, is moving to the Belmont store.
According to Henke, the Lower Falls store was home to the outdoor furniture inventory. When that space closed, the search for a new location led them to the space near the Claflin Street parking lot.
Didriks first opened in Cambridge in 2004. It moved to Belmont in 2017. This fall marks the shop’s 20th anniversary.
Appointment needed
The new space in Belmont is full of outdoor furniture. The parasols help make it a much quieter, more intimate space.
“It was really echoey in here before the parasols came in,” Henke said.
Shoppers can make an appointment to shop for outdoor furniture in the new space, giving them a low-traffic, distraction-free shopping experience.
Didriks’ customers include homeowners, interior designers, landscape architects – just about anyone searching for good-looking, high-quality outdoor furniture, Henke said.
Those customers are likely to get a real hands-on experience. Tuesday morning, Henke spent several minutes demonstrating the flexibility and user-friendliness of the sunblocks in the new space. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some look like traditional umbrellas, others have the hardware concealed, leaving just a white expanse of cloth.
“If you want, you can use it as a movie screen,” he said, pushing one into an upright position.
Those on display are made in Belgium from high-grade materials, including marine-grade stainless steel.
“They are completely serviceable,” he said. “You buy them for life if you take care of them.”
Customer satisfaction is reflected in all aspects of Henke’s business. He reflected for a bit on the knife sharpening his store offers. It’s a small thing, but a professionally sharpened knife makes cooking more enjoyable and safer. It is not a life-changing service, but it is a personal, hands-on service that people appreciate, he said.
“It’s the same with the outdoor furniture,” he said. “We’ll deliver it, assemble it, and get rid of the packaging. There’s nothing for people to worry about.”
Outdoor furniture sales make up about a third of the business at Didriks.
In addition to its store on Leonard Street, Didriks hosts a substantial website, offering sales online.
“The website has been huge. It’s been a challenge to keep up with it,” he said. “Right now, we are working hard to get it up to snuff for the fall and into Q4.”
Didriks employs about 12 people at its Belmont location.
“I’m really all about looking forward,” Henke said. “I want to think about where we are going, and we’re doing some exciting things.”
The perfect transaction?
“We want to be sure the customer is happy and loves the product they end up with,” he said. “That is the most important aspect to us.”
