Black Sheep Graffiti

Did you know that Black Sheep wasn’t always a clothing store? Black Sheep started in the 1990s. Dresden’s Neustadt district was just waking up from its post-DDR slumber. A printer named Michael Adam met Raoul Barthel a sporting goods salesman. They had a great idea. They opened Black Sheep in 1995. It was located on Königsbrücker Straße. It sold hip-hop clothes shoes accessories records and CDs. Adam took over the business alone in 1996. The store moved several times. It grew bigger each time. Eventually skateboards graffiti accessories and more were added. Black Sheep became the hottest shop in the scene. Adam known as Adams always wore a baseball cap. He had the right clothes for young people. If you wanted cool clothes in Dresden you went to Neustadt. Adams stocked brands like Carhartt Iriedaily Volcom and Lakai. Black Sheep sponsored events like the Broiler Jam and its own Black Sheep Skate Contest. Adams even DJed sometimes. The Elbepark expansion offered a tempting opportunity. Adams needed a store in the Kugelhaus train station to get a prime spot. It wasn’t such a good location after all. The Kugelhaus store didn’t make enough money. However the Elbepark store thrived. Another Elbepark store an outlet store on Louisenstraße and an online shop followed. At its peak Black Sheep employed 25 people. Big chains with even bigger selections arrived. Shopping habits changed. The internet impacted sales. Eventually several factors led to its closure. Black Sheep closed in October. A final sale offered everything at half price. Adams says when one door closes another opens. Black Sheep might be gone as a shop but it’s not completely gone. You never know when you’ll see it again.