Elandsgracht Amsterdam

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.

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.

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.

The Elandsgracht was proud and very happy to welcome this pharmacy/ health food store on 15 September 2012. Its name is as intriguing as unusual for a business that specializes in, and differentiates itself with, supplements and so-called superfoods.  But considering the passion that owner Miranda has for her business, as well as her predilection for Motown music, the logic behind the name is quickly established. What’s more, it was her best friend, her soulsister, who convinced Miranda to finally start her own shop. Twenty-three years of experience in her field do not stop this entrepreneur from furthering her knowledge. Not only is she a licensed pharmacist and beauty/health consultant, before long she will also be a licensed ortho-molecular therapist. Three areas of expertise that not only fascinate her, but will greatly help her give sound advice to her customers. She will  just as easily discuss the benefits of a particular toothpaste as she will wax lyrical about sea-weed based products and various so-called superfoods. Rather than explaining these items here, we strongly encourage you to pay this charming shop a visit. Healthy eating is booming business, thanks to growing consumer awareness. All the more reason to obtain solid and easy to understand advice. Get it here, get it now!

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.

If there is one place in Amsterdam that disproves the old Dutch adage that you have to travel a ways for the best things in life, it is the houseboat-museum, situated alongside the Prinsengracht, at the very beginning of the Elandsgracht. The Hendrika Maria, as the boat is called, is situated in this beautiful location since 1997.  Owner Vincent van Loon got the idea for the museum when he used to live in a houseboat himself and dealt with dozens of curious glances at his home on the water every day. His idea was golden, and visitors numbers have exceeded all Vincent’s expectations. The boat that houses the museum dates back to 1914. It even spent some time at the bottom of the canal during World War Two, to keep the occupying forces from getting their hands on it. The museum offers a unique perspective on living on the water as well as, through the small windows, on the Elandsgracht and the Prinsengracht.