Elandsgracht Amsterdam

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.

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.

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.

This store that takes its name from the French word for sneakers, opened in April 2012. It focuses on sneakers. Not just trainers, the ones we wear on weekends or holidays preferably until they disintegrate with wear. We’re talking about proper sneakers, from high end brands, and acceptable footwear in most of Amsterdam’s hotspots and on the occasional catwalk. Aside from the familiar brands, this new specialised shoe store also carries the lesser known, more exclusive brands. As a nice extra touch, it also has room for some of the local brands such as Locals AMS. The store interior is exciting in a toned down way, clean and beautiful but not exaggerated or pretentious. Baskèts is owned by Jeffrey Sluijzer and Daan de Greef.

You have your restaurants, your clothing stores, your dry cleaning businesses, you name it, it is all to be found on the Elandsgracht. And then there is Baobab. A shop that is truly in a league of its own. An oasis in the lively gracht that hasn’t been a “gracht” since about a century. Step inside this place and it’s like you stepped into a Bedouin’s tent in a sandy place that still knows the meaning of summer. Owner Thea started her business in the 1960s, as a hobby. She and Baobab have grown up together on the Elandsgracht, as have her customers who first walked in as twenty somethings and have kept coming back as they became parents or even grandparents. Handmade jewellery, crafted ornaments, decorations, pieces of art, pottery, this store carries it all, from all the different continents. And there’s even more in the basement, which one imagines is what Ali Baba’s treasure cove may have looked like. By all means come in for a visit. Just make sure to take your time to marvel at all the amazing artifacts on offer.

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.

Burgermeester is a play on words, on the one hand it means as much as mayor, but can also be interpreted as burger master. Try one off its menu and you will agree. Yes you will.  Really. The concept was the result of a five minute brainstorm among three friends. They were all itching to start an eaterie of their own and came up with what they considered crucial elements, that also differentiated them from the competition – lift them from ‘just another burger joint’ to ‘holy cow, this just blew my tastebuds away’. The beef is sourced from Blonde D’Aquitaine cows from the Palmesteyn estate in the Betuwe region. Burgermeester is about full flavours, straightforward recipes and ingredients that are brought in fresh, daily. Manager Joris, who also lives at the Elandsgracht, adds a personal touch. Don’t wait any longer, try this place for yourself.

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.

Antique center Amsterdam, formerly known as ‘the Looier’ in an old garage. The space is enormous though it is packed to the rafters with antiques,  knickknacks, collectible items and rarities. Display cabinets guide you through a maze stalls and more displays, each owned by another dealer, collector or enthusiast. The center underwent a transformation “to dust it off and bring it into the 21^st century”, as the owner put it. Arnout and his wife Emrys ter Haak took over the business and decided to  overhaul the place, but keep it accessible to tourists, students and serious art lovers and collectors alike. Whether you come in looking to spend 5000 Euro or 5, there’s something here for everyone. The vast collection of items ranges from the bizarre to the funny and from the delicate to the breathtakingly beautiful. It is absolutely fascinating walking through this place and will make you wonder why you didn’t comer here sooner – or more often.

Unlike some of the tanning salon’s most avid visitors, this place is rather inconspicuous and that works just fine for owner Coby. For a solid 25 years, this tanning place, has built its reputation, slowly expanding its services over the years, becoming more and more of a full blown beauty salon. The salon moved to a great new place on nr. 101, where it uses every square centimeter for its impressive array of sunbeds, wood panelled cabins and reclining massage chairs. The place offers handy frequent visitor cards at special rates. Not that it really needs to lure customers in. Once you’ve been once, odds are considerable that you will be back for more.