It’s been two years since I moved to Breda, the lovely city close to the Belgium border – enough time to explore the city and find some favorite shops in which I almost always succeed in buying something (or at least have a great time browsing the shelves). Although Breda isn’t typically on top of the list when it comes to shopping destinations in the Netherlands, I wanted to share these tips with you today to make sure you know where to look when you’re around!
Shopping in Breda: My Favorite Shops
I love Breda for shopping! The reason? It’s a quite compact city, which means it’s great for a day full of shopping without being too outstretched. You have the well-known brands and chains all in one area, as well as a huge square with some cafés and restaurants, ideal for a break. But then, you also have all kinds of boutique shops, which I love the most. Last but not least, shops are open here on Sundays, which is not the case in our neighbouring countries Belgium and Germany. Also leads to lots of tourists on the weekends, so if you can, make sure to explore during the week for some more quietness (:
J’adore Vintage
My absolute favorite store (I have never left there without buying something) is J’adore Vintage located in Sint Annastraat. It’s a cute little vintage store where you can find beautiful blouses (which you can also shop via their Instagram profile) as well as all other kinds of clothing. The owner also has a pop up in Galerie Lafayette in Paris, which makes total sense when you see her beautifully curated collection. And the pieces are not even expensive, either! Love to go in here and just see what she has at that point, there is always something that’s worth a try. Only downside is, as it’s vintage clothing, everything is only available in one size – so be careful to not fall in love with anything too quickly, as it might not fit in the end.
Penn&Ink NY
The second store I love (although I haven’t bought anything there recently, but still love to browse!) is Penn&Ink NY. It’s a small brand from the Netherlands with a total of five stores at the moment, Breda being one of them. They combine different international influences in their collections, and I love how the pieces are simple and will stay stylish for several years rather than going out of style within a few seasons.
Sienna
Similar to Penn&Ink, Sienna is a small chain with different stores in Belgium and one in the Netherlands, which is located in Breda. It’s a pretty colorful shop, and I love how they organize everything by color. I have found some nice basic pieces there as well as some beautiful statement pieces – and I love to see what they got in every time I am in the city.
Co & Co
And another one that fits right in with the previous two: Co & Co. Personally, I have never bought anything there, but again, I love browsing here and some of my friends only go shopping here. Which I get! It’s a similar concept to Sienna, where they sell different brands rather than their own, as Penn&Ink. Not always 100% in line with my personal outfit choices, but love getting inspired!
Dille & Kamille
Moving on to something that is not a clothing store! Can’t actually remember the last time I actually bought something at Dille & Kamille, a Dutch chain which you find in every major city in the Netherlands. But the only reason for this is that I am trying not to spend too much money on things I do not necessarily need, as otherwise, I could buy everything in here every time. They sell kitchen items mainly, but also have some nice tableware, cooking books, but also plants…it’s just perfect for having a break from all those clothes stores. Prepare to spend more time here than you might initially think!
Dé Spellenwinkel
Last but not least, I have to mention this great store for boardgames here. Dé Spellenwinkel is a little bit out of the way from the rest, but absolutely worth a visit. They do carry a lot of English boardgames, so don’t worry about the language! Take your time to browse and get inspired spontaneously, as that’s basically the only way to get a slight overview of what they do carry. However, if you are looking for a specific game you’d like to try the very same evening (and therefore can’t order online), chances are, they have it! Just ask the owner, I have no idea how she keeps an overview, but she knows exactly where to look for what. And if she can’t find it, she’s happy to order it for you.
That’s it! That’s my favorite stores for some shopping in Breda so far! I’m sure there are more to explore, but again, I am trying not to buy too much stuff I don’t actually need, therefore I’m not going out shopping very often. And if you know me a little longer, you might have realized that there is no bookshop in my list. That’s because…the bookstores in Breda are not extraordinary. I prefer to go to my favorite ones in The Hague when I’m there for work, rather than looking through the assortment of the ones in Breda.
