A cool discount shop to buy tons of random items. I came in here hoping I would stumble on a…read moreHalloween or Autumn mat for the front door, but no luck. Ideal shop to stop by if your shopping for Halloween or Christmas decorations or random accessories for the house. They even have a full row of pet items too.

An interesting store that is fun to go into every once in a while. They have a little bit of…read moreeverything. Some products stay the same while others come and go, so you never really know what to expect when going in. I usually come out with a bunch of random things that I payed very little for.

It was about that time to Spring clean my closet. I dropped off a nice bag of clothes and…read moretableware, I was not so often using. I love donating to these types of nonprofit shops, because the items goes directly to empowering and improving the quality of life for women and children. Most of the women who work here are volunteers, so make sure to greet them with a friendly hello. Most of the time they are very helpful and pleasant. They have a variety of these shops spread out through the Netherlands. It's also always fun to shop in here, because sometimes you come across some really nice and unique items. Prices are extremely reasonable. In addition, most of the proceeds goes to a good cause as well.

Gorgeous fiber arts store, with very helpful staff. It was super tough to pick a few skeins they…read moreare all so lovely.

Stephen & Penelope has an amazing selection and supply of luxury yarns! The shop assistants are so…read morefriendly and helpful. Be prepared to spend an enjoyable amount of time there and, if you're like me, you might want an extra suitcase for your haul! Or they can ship it for you!

Did we not all come to know Return to Sender thanks to Hema? At least I did. It's a great brand…read morethat sells unique products produced by people from the poorest countries. By buying the products these people are directly supported. Products include paper art (lamps, decorations, paper), stationary and fabrics (bags, pillowcases), accessories and gifts. Return to Sender better explains it's products: "Everything has a story to tell. Buildings, traditions, clothing, but also the things in your home. And that's something you don't always think about. Return to Sender tells the story behind each product. About the makers, the technique, and the century old symbolism that often lies behind a product." I love buying an Indian bracelet as a gift for a friend, or using a lovely notebook made of Nepalese designed paper to trust my thoughts to or use a Senegalese basket to store my kids toys in. I do love these stories to. And I love the idea that wealth can be shared with others by buying their honest products. Return to Sender products can be bought at Hema, but it also has it's own store at the Westergasfabriek area. Have fun finding your story!

I just LOVE Hema. As an American shopping in the Netherlands, I found absolutely nothing to…read morecomplain about at Hema (& was at 3 of them). The store was well lit, well organized, user friendly & carries some of the MOST BASIC items for women. (for men too I guess but I didn't really look at the men's dept.) Cotton & lycra blend tops----long sleeve, tank, short sleeve, hip length, & mid thigh---in all colors, neutrals, cerulean blue & black-- about $12-$14. Who doesn't need these? Fold up "down jacket" that was $39, (I got it on a special for $15). Faux leather tote, $29. Well fitting bras, $13. I found several pair of earrings on special $1.00. Faux leather passport/wallet-$12. I must add that everything has been washed & is of superior quality & hasn't shrunk. The tote & wallet are in still perfect condition, after months of use. ($$'s rounded off from euros) Kids clothes were amazingly priced compared to the States & if I had a larger suitcase I would have bought for my grand-daughter. Styles that were so much nicer & well made for a fraction of the cost at the Gap or Old Navy. Oh & check out their make-up dept. Super good quality, great selection & all for cheap prices. I will be back!!

A decent Hema. It is not one of the biggest I've ever seen but it is also not one of the smallest…read more They have a good selection however they are missing some food items that they have at the really big stores.

What comes to mind when I first walked in here was the Goodwill from the USA. I love coming across…read morethese types of stores, because I can easily call someone to help me get rid of any unwanted items from our place. They have no problem picking up your unwanted items. On another note, I saw a few cool Fixie bikes in here too. If you fall under this category, then this is the place for you. People who shop on a budget or who are thrifty smart shoppers. Treasure Hunters-one man's junk is another man's treasure. Anti-Hoarders- this is the place to call to get rid of any junk. Hoarders- People who need help getting rid of junk. Love giving to charity organisations. People who love spring cleaning their closet, in order to get rid of the old, in order to bring in the new. College Students who just moved out of their parents house and need to shop on a budget.

Best thrift store i've ever been to, i live nearby and go at least once a month. They have…read moreeverything ranging from lp's, books, toys to silverware, art and clothing. I usually buy clothing there because everything is so cute and clean but i also have some artwork and christmas decorations from here. The clothing ranges from €1 to €5 and they have every category. The dvd's, books and lp's are usually €1-€3 euros; and the rest is all usually below €10. Another great thing is that when you spend money there 100% of it goes to a good cause (disabled people (who also work in the shop but are very capable)).

Sort of like an Aldi here in America and they sell things for I believe are way cheaper! When in…read moreAmsterdam we didn't wanna spend tons of money on the food so we ended up going to Lidl and grabbing some cereal, bread, mayo, soda, milk, and donuts. The products are so different there- definitely not what we are used to here in America. They had the mayonnaise in a tube! A tube! It was so shocking to see it like that. We also had milk but it didn't taste like milk it was so sour and it was thick- so when we tried pouring it- it was all lumpy and a yogurt consistency as it poured out. As far as the ham and cheese it was pretty good and the bread was a baguette which was tasty. The soda was really good and was in a strange shaped bottle- everything was so strange looking. The best thing about this grocery store was the pastries and donuts- they were like 50 cents each and they were bakery fresh items that tasted like they were made on site. I don't know how the store looked but only know about the products and the taste of them due to my sister and her bf going to the store to get the food- but from what they were saying- they said the store was huge! And they had a bunch of sales. They said they paid $23.00 and brought back about 6 bags of food to the hotel. If we were to have 6 bags of groceries here- I'm sure it would've been more than $23. I heard Lidl is coming to Philly soon- which is great news- so I'm hoping they have the same great prices and the same donuts and pastries for cheap that taste so yummy.

A mess, long lines, only a few hard workers. no bags available for vegetables either. So I skipped…read morefruit and vegetables. A mosque next to it which seems to be a main cause for many people in the shop and very busy around the shop. Used to come here more often, now I prefer other locations.

Well, the wooden or more modern clogs weren't too interesting for me to be honest, but this…read moresouvenir shop was probably the best one in Zaanse Schans. Throughout many shops and even in this one, there are many ceramics look like Delft blue, but they are not. They are some cheap imitations. The highlight of this souvenir shop were real Delft blue ceramics here. We've been to Delft and purchased a small dish there, but we were fortunate enough to find it here so that we didn't have to make another special trip back to Delft. Now, there are some more affordable souvenirs like any other stores in the area. Otherwise they won't make too much money off of the tourists. However, they have some nice things including very nice wooden clogs if you are into them. It's just that it wasn't my thing.

Wonderful clog shop at Zaanse Schans. Admission is free. The front area is a clog museum…read moreshowcasing the different clogs, There is a demonstration of hand making of the clogs. Lots of clogs to choose from traditional wooden clogs to modern clog footwear that is relevant and may be worn daily. Other souvenirs are available as well. Great for American travelers, as they accept American Express.