Elandsgracht Amsterdam

Vroom & Nobbe optician is a business that has been handed down to the second generation of the Nobbe family. They are currently starting to prepare the next generation to take over in due course. The shop at number 142 has graced the Elandsgracht since 1947, so a remarkable 65^th birthday is celebrated in 2012. All this time, it has never delivered anything less than “five star service”, as current owner, and nephew to the founder, explains. In turn, he has trained his son and daughter in the business, whereby the relevance and importance of true craftsmanship and specialism are accentuated.After all, it’s these aspects that differentiates Vroom & Nobbe from its competitors. But the shop has more aces up its sleeves. It visits people at home to bring its services to their doorstep, and does all the polishing, grinding and measurements by hand. That is not to say it shies away from technological advances: it has a feature on its website whereby you can see what different frames look like on your own face. Whether you need new glasses, lenses or nothing of the sort – this is a shop to treasure.

This bio-butcher’s has barely reached middle age, a respectable fourty six years old in 2012, but in a bustling city, specialising in what is still a niche market, that is quite an achievement. The bio-market may still be niche, but owner Niek does see the demand for biological meat grow. Niek inherited the artisanal approach to this profession from his dad Siem, the name that still adorns the front of the shop.  Siem was the co-founder of the ISC ( International Free range meat Control organisation). The traditional approach and work methods is also reflected in the pleasant interior. It is of course, spotless, but it has a hint of authenticity about it, with decorated woodwork, and some stained glass details. The customer truly is king here, as Niek says. Interaction with his customers, and their satisfaction with his productts, is all inherentin Niek’s dedication to his profession. And there is not a  recession or an out-of -commission bridge that will change that.

Kwik Fix Massage is located at Elandsgracht number 61 A and has been for many years. It has been run by Chinese entrepreneurs ever since it first opened its doors. In August 2012, Alice took over and she immediately made an impact, turning the business into a highly praised and respectable massage parlor. What draws people in and keeps them coming back is the combination of expertise and a modest, polite atmosphere. As a result, Kwik Fix’s  service and attitude speak louder and clearer than any expensive advertising campaign. Unlike the reputation that comes with so many massage parlors that litter Amsterdam lately, Kwik Fix prides itself on essentials such as hygiene, modesty, meditative quietness and sobriety. The highly trained, polite staff  who are multi-lingual to boot, are all experts in traditional Chinese massage. They will do their utmost to have you walk out the door feeling refreshed and as relaxed as can be.  With its door open seven days a week, from noon until 10pm, it caters to even the busiest of schedules.

The Elandsgracht has been the proud host to the fifth and smallest establishment of the Vlaamsch Broodhuys since 2007, when the bigwigs of the company decided on this location because, well, it’s the Elandsgracht and its central location is very hard to beat. This shop may be small, but its attractive warm interior fits the size perfectly. It is all geared towzards a cosy place for coffee, brunch and lunch.  Its excellent sandwhiches and sweet, sweet pastries, made to order right in front of you,  will make any discerning customer’s mouth water. The bread is made from a company own recipe, top secret of course, and delivered to each of the Broodhuys’s shops around dawn every morning. Refreshingly it does not have wifi, so turn all your gadgets off and take your time when you step in here. One further interesting detail is that cash is not accepted here – you can only pay with debit cards.

This language school offers Dutch courses to highly educated internationals (expats) who are here for work, university studies or less formal reasons. The 60 new students that Koentact hosts every 5 weeks, work mostly for international companies such as Air France, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike. They follow the lessons in private or in group form. What sets Koentact apart, is its approach to teaching the language: the Dutch lessons focus predominantly on the combination of language and culture. Therefore, students go out on the streets during which they are encouraged to put into practice their newly learned vocabulary by interacting with Amsterdam locals. Theory alone is fine, but nothing quite helps the memory as practice, when you want to learn Dutch. Koentact also organizes the Amsterdam Language Café for everyone who wants to practice his foreign languages, so also for the ‘real Amsterdammer’. It is this sympathetic, original and personal approach that suits the spirit of the Elandsgracht to a tee.

Ask a random Amsterdammer about Edison and eight out of ten will say” Isn’t that the carpet place?” That is one of the first things current owner Henriette says when asked about her business. It is a bold statement, but anecdotes abound that support its accuracy. Like the one where a previous owner in the 1980s did some DIY product placement by displaying the company logo for all to see during the filming of the Dutch cult classic “Amsterdamned”. Several trams also carried life size logo’s of the business as they cruised through the entire capital for weeks on end. Despite Henriette not knowing exactly how long Edison has been in business, she herself is considered one of the guiding forces behind the scenes. Of course, as an owner for the past six years, but she was an employee for no less than two decades prior to that. A conservative estimate by Henriette indicates Edison was
already around in the early 1970s, although back then it conducted its business on the Rozengracht. The diversity in its inventory of home furnishings, and the ability to adapt to changing trends and changing customer behaviour have set Edison apart all these years and have built its enduring reputation. The Elandsgracht would not be the same without Edison. Enough said.

Key Color is the kind of shop you might walk past without a second glance. Which is perfectly understandable, considering its non-flashy exterior. That is not to say however, that what is on the inside is not impressive. Quite the contrary. This fifteen year old business is the result of a man who, having learned the tricks of the photography trade at Kodak, decided to set up shop himself. That way he could put into practice his own ideas about service and customer interaction. Can you call such a thing a gamble when you know this is bound to be a success? People from Belgium and Gemany find their way to Frits’s shop, so the answer to that question seems obvious.  Frits does it all, whether you need quick passport pictures done, or looking for a floor-to-ceiling print of an image you found somewhere, Frits is your man. His clients range from the elderly lady down the street to big multinationals. You can come in here to print off images from a memory card, but Frits won’t let you leave until he’s made sure the images look the best they can – manually correcting them where necessary or desired. Service as it was meant to be.

De Meetlat is a business with an unusual business model: it specializes in various disciplines: it is a tailor, laundry service as well as an all-round repair shop for clothing and home furnishings such as curtains. Its storefront is humble and charming in equal measure. That humble appearance is only matched by his desire to be able to keep doing what he does for many more years, but is vastly exceeded by the quality he constantly aspires to, and delivers in all of his work. And this eight year old business does it all with great success, as its growing number of regular customers indicate. Fellow Elandsgracht entrepreneurs at denim boutique Tenue de Nimes can’t praise owner Mehmet Gulcicek enough. Mehmet and his team of one don’t even bat an eyelid whether you wish to breathe new life into a favourite pair of jeans, have your curtains re-sized or even a pile of clothing cleaned and ironed.

Sinds 1965, this quiet little business has made quite a name for itself. Over the years it has shown something that is not as common in small business anymore as one would expect or hope: it is reliable. Plain and simple. It cleans your clothes, carpets or even leather and suede items and will even collect and deliver. It has moved to Hazenstraat 65 early in 2012, but considering its track record and, well, the name, we still consider it part of the Elandsgracht. The laundromat’s interior may occasionally look like fifteen closets full of clothes exploded, there is definitely a method to the apparent madness. The owner, Coert, works almost round the clock and does it with a smile and a kind word for everyone who walks into his place. His trusted two assistants are equally dependable and are always in for a quick joke or anecdote about the neighbourhood. Being made to feel like a regular and walking home with a mountain of fresh clean clothes never fails to put a smile on your face.

HP Horlogerie is one of the true jewels on the Elandsgracht. Especially for the connoisseurs and fans of beautiful watches, who know what they’re after and are aware of how hard to find some watches can be. Leave it to founder and owner Henk to find such rarities. Back in 1990, having already spent several years plying his trade selling his goods at markets right here in Amsterdam, Henk decided to set up a shop in antique furniture. As the space at Elandsgracht 38 became available, Henk didn’t need to think twice. His business did well, but even so, after the better part of a decade, Henk performed an experiment by putting a rare and beautiful watch in the display window. It sold within days. He repeated this several times and then decided to focus on watches exclusively. Another decade on and his reputation – and therefore his business- is flourishing. He is a welcome presence on both internet for a and watch fairs around Europe. His excellent service and range of watches make him a favourite among many returning customers. The shop window and the shop itself are a sight to behold. Come witness for yourself, whether you can barely afford the small dial on a Rolex, or intend to purchase a Breitling from the early 20th century, it never hurts to look.