Elandsgracht Amsterdam

Studio Stroop is all about passion, craftsmanship and diversity. Three concepts that virtually all businesses along the Elandsgracht have in common. Business is good, as its growing clientele is as diverse as its treatments and range of products. 20somethings rub shoulders with octogenarians,  the rich mingle with the less rich,  locals or people from way outside the city limits – they all find their way to the Studio. What matters most to owner Wilfred is to make someone feel better and more confident after a treatment because ultimately, confidence and feeling comfortable give a person true beauty, Wilfred says. It makes perfect sense. You connect with it because that is how you want to be treated. Wilfred employs eight people, all of whom have been trained internally by means of a course that is Studio Stroop’s own. It was devised by Wilfred, who saw this as a great way of spreading his filosophy and creating an unofficial stamp of approval of his Studio and his methods. Besides this shop, he also runs a studio at the very heart of the Dutch broadcasting industry, in Hilversum. Plenty of celebrities pop in there on a regular basis for some treatment or other. All of this together really make any advertising superfluous. The brand speaks for itself by now.

Smit-Cruyff is the sportswear store of Amsterdam. First of all there is the obvious connection to one of the world’s legends of football (Johan Cruyff’s brother was a co-founder). This store opened its doors in 1940 and, as a result, has beaten a world war, recessions, depressions, you name it, only to come out victorious. What’s in a name, as a famous bard once wrote. Besides this, or maybe because of its spreading reputation, global sports brands like Puma and Nike were launched in The Netherlands via this very store. Yes, you read that right. The two current owners, Guno Reingoud and Robbie van der Straeten are now both in their fifties, and took over the business in 1998. These guys know every nook and cranny of the store, since they were working here  as assistants when they were teens, admiring the action photo’s and newspaper clippings that decorate the wall when they were teenagers. Needless to say this store holds a special place in their hearts, as does the gracht they are located on. For many Amsterdammers, Elandsgracht is synonymous with Smit-Cruyff. Here is to the next 70 years.

This  garage-turned-pharmacy was a welcome addition to the gracht when it got here in 2006 and has proven one of those places that people like coming back to. You listen to general manager Conny and it all sounds so straightforward: it is all about product knowledge and honesty. Her personnel is supposed to know what they’re talking about if they are to offer reliable advice to their customers. The fact that they get to try all new products is not only a great way of achieving this, the staff take great pleasure in it, too. Their modest yet professional attitudes make Etos a great place to wander around in. Browse at your leisure without feeling accosted by pushy people looking for a quick sale. The Etos employees had rather they gave you good advice without selling you something then making you buy something that does not really benefit you. Result: a steadily growing number of regulars as well as new customers. Common sense is good business.

Nr 118 used to be a car dealer slash gas stop. One of those nice old-fashioned ones, typically seen in small villages, with one or two rusty gas pumps out front. Just like the space the new Antique Center across the street is now based in, this place is amazingly big too. This kind of space really is only suitable for one other purpose: a supermarket. So, that’s what Ekoplaza, the supermarket that exclusively sells organic food, turned it into. The beauty of Ekoplaza is that it did not try to cram as much products in there as possible. Instead, wide aisles make for convenient and easy navigating your way around. And still their range of products is virtually endless. From liquorish to soap, you name it, Ekoplaza carries it. Storemanager Ronald has run this supermarket since 2013. Ekoplaza is on the move with over 50 Ekoplaza’s across the country, proving that buying organic is not just another fad – it’s another lifestyle.

Balthazar’s Keuken is located in an old smithy. The atmosphere inside is decidely French. The inviting interior is humble and modest, but belies a very good cuisine indeed. Catering for two shifts each evening, the chef decides the menu, leaving the customer to choose between meat or fish for a main course. With the advent of the internet as a public forum, amateur critics were given an arena to vent their often not-too-subtle opinions from the safe, anonymous confines of their own living room. In that regard, it could be considered no small miracle that any negative notes about this place are very, very hard to come by indeed. Then again, it should not be considered a miracle at all if you execute a restaurant concept as well as owners Alain Parry and Karin Gaasterland did here. The success of Balthazar’s Keuken can, and should therefore be considered purely the result of fresh ingredients such as originality, hard work, attention to detail and caring about their customers.  Add to that the consistenly very high standard of food that is produced in this kitchen, and, as many other businesses along the Elandsgracht demonstrate every day: quality always prevails. Opened only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, reserving your table in time is highly recommended –  more often than not, this place is fully booked.

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.

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.

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.

Bel Ami frame makers and all-round art specialistsis unmistakeable by its sheer appearance. You are, by judging the store by it’s storefront, invited to step in and you won’t be disappointed. With its decorative, elegant wooden front panelling Bel Ami has become a very familiar face on the gracht. If anything, that description is almost more a cliche than a surprise, seeing as how the store celebrated its 25^th anniversary in 2012. Loved by its regulars, highly spoken of by connaisseurs, its reputation belies the store’s humble interior. Run with a profound love for, and interest in, art, especially art that can be hung on walls. Owner Marieke and her dedicated staff not only frame your prized images, they also restore works of art to their original glory. That takes patience, incredible eye for detail and a custom approach for each painting they work on. It is this specialised, tailored approach that has cemented its reputation.

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.