From café loafers to 80,000+ products sold
Discover the Žurnál story
We're Ivan and Zambo
Best friends who met while studying in Brno and knew they wanted more from life.
We threw ourselves into business without realising we were doing business. We just wanted to help friends who struggled with time management. And somehow it got out of hand…
All right.
It all started when Zambo and I hadn't seen each other for a whole year. I had just finished my studies in England and Zambo was wrapping up an internship in America.
I had high hopes for that coffee at SKOG in Brno. After all, we went there knowing we no longer wanted to be just “wantrepreneurs”, but to actually help people.
We knew we wanted to create a planner that, instead of a boring introduction, offers a section that helps you set your personal vision.
A product so minimalist that its owners won't be distracted by explanations, pictures or worn-out motivational quotes. A product that never cuts corners on quality, not even on the accessories.
We brought in designer Matej and Ivan's wife Monika. And off we went to our first design markets to test a version of Žurnál as thick as the Bible.
The test was a big fail. And we worried whether any of it made sense.
We didn't give up. We slimmed the planner down, refined it with every edition, and one product gradually grew into a portfolio of 50 – planners, notebooks, workbooks and books.
That's how Poustre were born
Posters that help. We are people who love starting things.
People loved them at design markets. And with the proceeds we supported the renovation of mountain shelters, trail signs and springs.
Later we launched a crowdfunding campaign and, together with Hikemates, built 4 new shelters on the SNP Heroes' Trail. Help in practice. Not just in words → See them at turistickeutulne.sk
“What would it be like to run our own place?”
We had been asking ourselves this since Žurnál began.
That's how Brot Books Deli came to be – together with Martin “Žltý” Jenčo and investor Michal Meško. A place to feed your hunger for good books and magazines.
After 2 years we stepped back from Brot, but our mark remains there – including a selection of Žurnáls and inspiring titles.
We want to be Žurnál
A brand with deep roots and a clear direction.
… we realised we want to focus on one thing. We don't want to build a brand empire. We don't want to be madebythe.
Whether you visit us in spring or in December, online or at a design market, you can be sure of one thing. We enjoy it as much as we did at the start.
And yet nothing has changed
- We are still the same café loafers
- We still enjoy it just as much
- And we still do it together
Thank you for being part of it.
Ivan and Zambo
co-founders of Žurnál