Amsterdam’s Iconic Shops Closing Due to Soaring Rents
A historic Amsterdam shop, ‘t Zonnetje, which has been in operation since 1642, is set to close its doors due to exorbitant rent increases. The shop, which has been a staple on Haarlemmerdijk for over 380 years, is the latest victim of Amsterdam’s rapidly changing retail landscape.
According to an article in The Guardian, the shop’s owner, Marie-Louise Velder, has been faced with a staggering rent increase from €3,000 to €4,500 per month, backdated to last September. Velder, who took over the business 26 years ago from an English family, described the situation as "sickening". "It makes me sick, that’s all I can say," she said over a cup of Ceylon tea. "Traditional shops are all dying because of soaring rents."
The closure of ‘t Zonnetje has sparked fears that Amsterdam’s high streets will become increasingly dominated by chain stores and tourist-friendly shops. Local businessman, Johannes Wilhelm, expressed his disappointment at the shop’s impending closure, stating that it would leave the area with "a lot of cheese and Nutella-pancakes and all kinds of tourist shops". Wilhelm added that while tourists are welcome, the city needs to preserve its unique, independent businesses.
As reported by The Guardian, rents have been increasing in the Netherlands, particularly in "the most sought-after high street retail locations". Karel Loeff, director of the conservation organisation Heemschut, noted that higher rents often lead to bigger companies with more standardised offers moving in, pushing out sole traders.
The loss of ‘t Zonnetje and other independent shops has significant implications for Amsterdam’s cultural heritage. Loeff stated that preserving living heritage is extremely challenging, saying "we can preserve the wooden beams and shelves… but we can’t preserve a function". He added that local shops run by private owners for decades "are what make cities unique".
Amsterdam has been grappling with how to preserve its heritage in the face of increasing numbers of homogenous chain stores and tourist-friendly novelty shops. In 2017, the city government announced measures to prevent retailers catering mainly to tourists from opening in parts of the city centre.
Urban geographer, Iris Hagemans, cautioned against generalising about the impact of tourism on Amsterdam’s shopping landscape. While some areas, such as Damstraat, have become overly commercialised, Hagemans noted that other areas continue to thrive. She favours government action to protect basic needs, such as access to healthy food and healthcare, but is wary of the state intervening as an arbiter of taste.
The closure of ‘t Zonnetje serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by independent businesses in Amsterdam. As Velder noted, "there are plans afoot to support small business owners in this anniversary year, but it is too late for me". The city’s unique character and cultural heritage rely on the preservation of these businesses, and it remains to be seen how Amsterdam will address the issue of soaring rents and the decline of independent shops.
In related news, The Guardian reported on the renowned Dutch tulip garden, Keukenhof, which is making space for the selfie generation to bloom.
Sources:
- The Guardian: "It makes me sick: the Amsterdam shops closing because of soaring rents"
- The Guardian: "Renowned Dutch tulip garden makes space for selfie generation to bloom"
