About us
The name Cool Investments is derived from CoolCat, the quirky fashion brand where it all began. Meanwhile, we are much more than that: as a family office, we invest both directly and through private equity funds.
We believe in the power of entrepreneurship. From our roots in fashion retail, customer focus is in our DNA, we are used to switching quickly and going the extra mile for the best result. Coolinvestments is therefore more than an investor: we see ourselves as a partner for entrepreneurs, management teams and funds that - like us - believe in growth through cooperation and innovation. Together, we build companies that excel today and are ready for the future.
Our people
The best results occur in an environment where there is room for personal initiative, where people are given responsibility and where learning and development are encouraged. We also convey this cultural value to our portfolio companies: open communication, mutual trust and the drive to move forward together.
Our story
It starts in Amsterdam, in the late 1970s. In 1979, entrepreneur Roland Kahn opens his very first stores - two young, new branches of what would later become his iconic fashion formula: CoolCat.
The stores - located at the Kalverstraat and the Nieuwendijk - appeal immediately: trendy clothes at affordable prices, for a young generation that wants to dress fashionably without paying too much.
From formula to group
The formula catches on. Thanks to a keen eye for trends and smart purchasing, CoolCat grows rapidly, and new branches soon follow in the major cities of the Netherlands.
But the ambition turns out to be greater: already in the 1990s and early 2000s, Roland Kahn expands the horizon - not only with fashion formulas, but also with real estate. Because for every two rental locations of CoolCat, he buys one property: thus the real estate portfolio grows alongside the retail activities.
Strategic acquisitions
In 1995, Coolinvestments seizes the opportunity: the Dutch shoe store chain Bata has quit. Kahn sees potential and takes over the stores - a move that shows the organization is growing not only through its own formula development, but also through acquisitions.
In the 2000s, the collaboration between Roland Kahn and Jaco Scheffers begins, marking the start of international growth: in 2001, the fashion chain Amici is acquired; in 2006, America Today follows, a concept inspired by the American leisure lifestyle.
Again later - in 2010 - the plus-size formula MS Mode enters the portfolio, and in 2012 the playful lingerie formula Sapph. This makes the group broad: fashion for young, for size + and for lingerie.
Broad portfolio
By the mid-2010s, Cool Investments had expanded beyond the fashion business. The real estate branch is thriving: property within the Benelux, Germany and even the United States, and participation in major projects such as the Mall of the Netherlands shopping center in Leidschendam.
The investment arm also gains traction, with Jonathan Kahn joining in 2015 and embracing the name ‘Cool Investments,’ focusing on private equity and venture capital in addition to traditional retail & real estate.
Through challenges
The journey hasn’t been without obstacles. In 2019, CoolCat’s physical stores closed following tough results in a challenging retail landscape — yet the brand lived on, reinventing itself as a digital-first label.
That’s why our legacy is not only built on success stories, but also on resilience — learning, adapting, and shifting toward new opportunities: online, cross-channel, and international.
Today and tomorrow
Starting in 2021, the management of Coolinvestments passes to the next generation: twins Jonathan and Joshua Kahn take over day-to-day management, while Roland Kahn remains connected as an inspiration and advisor.
Today we stand with roots in the youth of CoolCat, firmly embedded in fashion, retail, real estate and investment, with a clear view of the future: sustainable growth, innovation, broader investment direction - and true to our core value: entrepreneurship.
