For a large city, Rotterdam (in our experience) has remarkably few truly great charity shops. All the more delighted were we by this hidden gem in Blijdorp. Down an alleyway on the Gordelweg lies a shop that doesn't look particularly large from the outside. But appearances can be deceptive. Once inside, it just keeps going: over a thousand square metres filled with second-hand goods, antiques, vintage items and curios. We visit quite a few charity shops in the Netherlands, but such an extraordinary collection as the one at Kringloopwinkel Rotterdam (Blijdorp) is not something we come across very often.
Thrift shopping between antiques and curios
Do not expect Kringloopwinkel Rotterdam to be a sleekly arranged shop with neat colour-coordinated corners. Furniture, tableware, art, books, records, clothing and the most wondrous curiosities are scattered haphazardly everywhere. It is precisely for this reason that it is wonderful for rummaging around, and a wander through the shop sometimes feels almost like a museum visit. One half is a traditional second-hand shop with, during our visit, gentle prices and clothing sold by the kilo. Further on, you suddenly imagine yourself in an antique and curio shop. You will find Kringloopwinkel Rotterdam at Gordelweg 243 in Blijdorp. The shop is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, but be sure to check before you leave current opening hours. In the video below we take you through the alleyway and show you just how much is hidden behind that modest entrance.
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- Also see: A lovely route for a day out in Rotterdam #1.
- Also see: A lovely route for a day out in Rotterdam #2 by tandem.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
