Timeline
To understand the past is to understand us. It’s where our story started. A courageous decision generations ago, to find a better life elsewhere in the world. A better life that was found, right here in Chevremont. A better life that will continue to be found, all around the world.
2018 – More than blue
Cool Pete, Hower, Bricker and Locker: in 2018, Marcel and Roger decide to expand their jeans collection. Sweatshirts, T-shirts, shirts, polos and chinos: from now on Grivec Bros. is more than blue.
2016 - Launch of the Grivec Bros. label & store
Hard work and determination pay off. Grivec Bros. open their new store with a small atelier dedicated to the repair of their customer’s jeans. In March of that year, Grivec Bros. first pair of jeans is born: Cool Pete.
2010 - The dream to create a jeans-label
Marcel and Roger, now widely referred to as “the Grivec Brothers”, feel all their years of jeans repair and jeans trade have taught them every little detail they need to know to set up their own brand, and to be able to make the jeans they want but were never able to find. With the help of Boy Bastiaens their dream turns into reality. Boy creates the logo and graphic identity of the Grivec Bros. brand.
2009 - Introduction Care & Repair Service, ‘Dry till you die’
Marcel and Roger start repairing the jeans their customers previously bought at the store. A service which they name after their life motto ‘Dry till you die’; dedicated to anyone that wishes to never be separated from their favourite jeans. Marcel: “In selling a product that gets better with age and wear, it was a logical step for us to offer our customers expert repair service.”
2003 - “Jeans Institute”
Grivec Bros.’ passion for denim and hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. At this time of their life and career, the Jeanspaleis is widely acknowledged and referred to as “Jeans Institute”.
1990 – Reinvention
Marcel and Roger learn the craft of owning a jeans store rather quickly. They have to. They discover their passion and talent is in discovering, buying and selling unknown (rising) jeans brands. This leads to them being among the first ones to sell brands as G-Star, Diesel, Replay, Chipie and Liberto.
1989 - Grivec Bros. take-over
At 18-years of age, life forces Marcel and Roger to take over the 5 remaining jeans stores from their parents. With little experience in running a business, but with a passion for denim that bursts at its seams (and because they were practically raised in their parents’ jeans stores), the Grivec brothers roll up their sleeves and take the bull by the horns. They focus all of their energy on developing 1 core-store: their ‘home’ in Chevremont.
1979 - Multiple jeans stores
René opens his 11th multi-brand jeans store, now called ‘Jeanspaleis’. Whenever they’ve got a spare minute, Marcel and Roger help their parents out and quickly learn more about their passion for denim. However, from the age of 13 to the age of 16, the Grivec brothers’ lives take a different turn. As they are in the official Dutch national ski-selection, they live, train and study at boarding school in Austria.
1976 - First jeans store
René’s jeans business is exactly what people need. In 1976, he and his wife Willy open their first multi-brand jeans store ‘Blue Indigo’ in Chevremont. Marcel and Roger are fascinated by denim and practically grow up in their parents’ store.
1970s – Import Jeans
During one of his coal hopper drives, René is inspired to start selling jeans. He acts on his inspiration, and starts selling them door-to-door in Chevremont. In 1971 his wife Willy gives birth to twins: Marcel and Roger, a.k.a. the Grivec Bros.
1932 – Migration
Grivec Bros. grandfather, Jozef, leaves the Mirna Pec Valley in Slovenia. On the promise of a better future, he takes his family to the South of the Netherlands. Together with his sons he finds employment in the coalmines as a coalminer. Every one, except for his youngest son René, Grivec Brothers’ father. He continues to travel as a coal hopper car driver.