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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, thrifting and vintage shopping is an elite traveling activity.
I feel like thrifting gives you a glimpse at another culture in a way that high-street stores can’t. They’re almost like living museums, letting you comb through pieces that belonged to people in that city. Plus, it makes a pretty perfect souvenir when you find an amazing thrifted piece while traveling.
Amsterdam happens to be one of my favorite cities for thrifting. Amsterdam thrift stores are some of my favorite in the world. Every time I visit, I spend part of every day I’m there checking out thrift shops, so I’m excited to share all my favorite spots with you.
So what makes the Amsterdam thrift stores so great? For one, they’re usually not overly curated but there’s definitely been care and thought put into the stock.
Plus, I wouldn’t say thrifting in Amsterdam is particularly expensive. It’s not cheap, but it definitely feels middle-of-the-road price-wise, which feels fair for the excellent selection!
In this list, I’ve mentioned what neighborhood each Amsterdam second hand store is in, and I’ve also linked to Google Maps for all of these vintage shops because that’s my ride or die app when travel planning, and I wanted to make things easy for you. (BTW, don’t forget to read more about my ride or die travel resources).
Delve into the Netherlands
Check out the rest of my Netherlands posts and guides if you’re still planning your perfect trip.
If you’re just visiting Amsterdam, explore the Amsterdam archives here!
My Favorite Amsterdam Thrift Stores
The first part of this list are all the Amsterdam vintage shops I love the most, and the thrift stores I try to make a point to visit when I’m in town. Below this section I’ve included some other notable shops that I’ve visited in the past and still like but haven’t had quite as much luck at!
You’ll notice that my two favorite areas for thrifting in Amsterdam are De Pijp and Haarlemmerdijk / Haarlemmerstraat.
Both of these areas are outside of the most heavily trafficked tourist routes through central Amsterdam, meaning you’ll find great selection, better prices, and less crowded shops! Plus, each of them has multiple shops, so you can concentrate your thrifting easily into one part of your day.
1. Bij Ons
Bij Ons Vintage just screams charming and retro with all three of its central locations. You can find tons of high quality jeans, sweaters and shirts, and it’s all categorized by color, which is something I value a lot. I appreciate that this place is truly vintage. You’ll find incredible dresses from the 50s and 60s and crazy leather 80s jackets. It really feels like a time capsule, and it’s not even overpriced! Also, the staff was so nice, which is a major bonus.
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2. Rumors
Rumors is a vibrant and fun Amsterdam vintage shop sort of near the Central Station, actually split across two shopfronts a couple blocks apart. The main thing I appreciated about Rumors was how well organized it was. The racks are set up by category and color, which makes browsing a total walk in the park. Also, they seem to refresh their stock pretty often.
This spot is best for true vintage lovers (those looking for retro styles and slightly pricier, mint condition one-off items) rather than the average thrifter. You’ll find a lot of 60s and 70s gems here which is so fun. And considering the quality, the prices are pretty fair!
📍 Haarlemmerstraat 29 & Haarlemmerstraat 99
3. Marbles
Marbles is quite possibly my favorite Amsterdam vintage shop. Marbles is a 90s and early 2000s vintage heaven. I’m personally partial to the one just above the Jordaan, because I’ve found some real gems there, but I love to browse the De Pijp location as well. This is a great place to look for boots, and really anything that’s on trend right now. I think that for the quality and the curation of the stores, the prices are also really fair.
📍 Haarlemmerdijk, De Pijp & Waterlooplein
4. Mood Indigo
This is the Amsterdam second hand store you’ll wanna go check out if you’re looking for vintage denim. I found one of my favorite pairs of Levi 501s here a few years back. You’ll also find other “western” adjacent clothing, like leather jackets, cowboy boots, and plaid shirts (though they also have some normal button ups and tennis shoes). The quality here is pretty incredible, and given the quality I think the price is fair—though it’s certainly not cheap.
📍 Centrum
5. Penny Lane
Penny Lane is a super unassuming but very impressive vintage shop in De Pijp. I was surprised when I came across it, because I hadn’t found it on any lists of Amsterdam vintage stores in the past, and I really don’t understand why! They have some great quality pieces from the 60s and 70s in all different styles. Every time I’ve come here it’s been nice and organized and not too crowded. I always find something incredible.
📍 De Pijp
6. Episode
No trip to the Netherlands is complete without a trip to an Episode Amsterdam vintage shop! This well-known Amsterdam thrift store chain (which is now national—and even has locations in other European capitals now) offers an impressive and wide range of high-quality pieces from denim jackets, colorful 90s dresses, mens shirts, and leather bags at reasonable prices.
There are five locations throughout the city, so you shouldn’t have a hard time making your way to one. (I’ve linked you to the 9 Streets location, as that’s the one I visited.)
I always have a soft spot for Episode because their pieces are high quality, they’re always on trend, and never overpriced. You’ll also find some reworked pieces here, which is always fun.
7. Kiloshop de Pijp
I’m not usually a huge fan of the kiloshop concept, but the location in De Pijp surprised me.
For anyone unaware, kiloshops are fairly common around Europe. The way it works is that each item has a colored tag on it, the tag corresponds to a price per kilo, and you have to weigh your items at checkout.
Part of the reason I don’t usually love a kiloshop is that I don’t think the prices are particularly good, and considering the whole weighing gimmick, I don’t really get why they’re not cheaper.
Anyway. The Kiloshop in De Pijp is the only exception. I was really impressed by this shop. I found armfuls of clothes to try on and some really cute shoes. I tragically left empty handed, but I’ll definitely be back.
📍 De Pijp
8. Zipper
While the 9 Streets location seems unassuming and small, this location of Zipper is actually pretty massive, and packed with a great selection of thrifted clothing. There’s even an upstairs area dedicated purely to accessories.
Similar to Episode, Zipper is always up to date on the latest trends, but also always keeps your staple items in stock as well.
📍 9 Streets & Haarlemmerstraat
Even More Amsterdam Vintage Shops
9. Bis!
Bis! is located smack dab in the middle of the city and is actually technically three shops in one. Each store caters to a specific kind of clothing: menswear, womenswear and military surplus. This is definitely a store more suited to a true vintage collector, or someone looking for less casual clothes: think slacks, button ups, business casual, etc.
📍 Centrum
10. We Are Vintage
We Are Vintage has two stores in Amsterdam, but I’ve only visited the one in Oud-West. They have a great selection of second-hand and vintage stock that leans more modern than some of the other options on this list. I did feel like it was a bit pricer than some of the other stores I’ve looked at, but the curation was good, as was the quality.
11. Time Machine
Time Machine has some great gems inside of it, but I never really find myself here given the location. That being said, if you’re in the area (super central, right near the Red Light District), I think it’s worth your time! It’s not the biggest store, but they curate a pretty on-trend stock, and I think it’s easy to find something you’ll like here.
📍 Centrum
12. Concrete Matter
This one is making the list at the request of Daniel, who is constantly bemoaning the lack of good menswear stock in most thrift stores. Concrete Matter is definitely the antidote to that problem. This Amsterdam Vintage shop specializes in high quality vintage menswear in a range of styles. Daniel found a cool French moleskin jacket here last time.
13. Lucille
Lucille almost feels more like a boutique than a vintage shop, but it’s just that well curated. They only offer womens clothes, so bear that in mind. They also stock lots of local products like homewares, candles and beauty products.
📍 De Pijp
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Amsterdam Vintage Markets
Aside from offering some of the best thrift, vintage & second hand shops of any city I’ve visited, Amsterdam has several excellent vintage markets as well.
14. IJ Hallen
IJ-Hallen is the largest flea market in Europe—yes, in all of Europe!!—and takes place in Amsterdam Noord once a month. Given that it’s the largest flea market in Europe, you can kind of guarantee that you’ll find anything and everything here. It goes from 9am to 4:30pm, though I’d recommend going on the earlier side.
You do have to pay an entrance ticket, but it’s only €5. Also, visiting IJ Hallen is a great chance to check out Amsterdam Noord, one of the coolest neighborhoods in Amsterdam!
Don’t forget to check out my whole guide to the best neighborhoods in Amsterdam to explore or stay in.
📍 Noord
15. Waterlooplein Flea
Waterlooplein Flea market is an incredibly old flea market that happens in the center of the city every day but Sunday! It’s not just for clothing either—you can find all sorts of vintage and used goods, like cameras, jewelry, and furniture. Definitely worth a walk around even if you’re just planning to browse.
16. Noordermarkt
The Noordermarkt Flea Market happens every Monday morning from 9am-1pm in the Jordaan, and it’s a must visit for vintage lovers. You’ll find antiques, vinyls, and tons of vintage clothing. Bonus points to this one because it’s in the Jordaan, so you’ll be able to easily fit it into your perfect afternoon itinerary.
FAQs About Thrift Stores in Amsterdam
Is Amsterdam good for thrifting?
Yes, Amsterdam is great for thrifting. Basically every neighborhood you’ll find yourself in will have a good solid mix of thrift stores, second hand shops and vintage shops of varying levels of curation and price points.
On average, the prices are probably going to be a bit higher than other places you might be used to thrifting, but that’s just par for the course in a city. Overall, I think Amsterdam thrift stores might be some of the best in Europe.
What are thrift stores called in the Netherlands?
Thrift stores are often called kringloops in the Netherlands, but honestly I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
If you’re exploring Amsterdam, or other main cities in the Netherlands, you’ll most often see places labeled as thrift shops or vintage stores.
It’s worth knowing that kringloop usually refers to a type of shop more similar to a charity shop in the UK or Goodwill in the US, so you’ll likely find better deals but will need to hunt a bit more!
Is Amsterdam good for vintage shopping?
Yes, there are so many great vintage shops in Amsterdam, and you can find a ton of great pieces if you’re willing to make the effort.
A lot of the stores listed here are great options for finding solid vintage pieces of all kinds.
Also, though not included in this list, there are several Amsterdam vintage stores that specialize in designer vintage.
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P.S. When you book using my links, you help support Rachel IRL at no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Are you feeling inspired and ready to thrift?
Thrifting and vintage shopping really is one of my absolute favorite ways to explore a new place. I hope that this list has helped you plan out your thrifting and vintage hunting while you’re in Amsterdam.
As per usual, feel free to leave me a comment if I missed anything or if you’ve tried and loved these recs! You can also find me on Instagram (tag me in your vintage finds!) and in my newsletter. Happy thrifting!
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Loved this post! Amsterdam is my favorite city and I always make it a point to visit some of the local thrift stores when I’m there. This list definitely gave me some new inspiration for my next trip
Really glad to hear that! I hope you find some gems