At Keizerstraat 118 in Scheveningen, a shop called Uw Winkeltje is filled with dozens of cabinets, shelves and racks, all of them stocked by different sellers.
The idea behind it is simple: people can rent a shelf, a compartment or even a whole cabinet, arrange their own spot, and decide for themselves what they sell and what it costs.
For visitors, the result is somewhere between a second-hand shop and a physical version of Marktplaats.
Eleven years of selling safely
“Eleven years ago we started this with the three of us, because a lot of people were being scammed through Marktplaats.
This is a safe way to sell your things,” says Kephas de Jager, one of the people who set the shop up.
The variety is obvious as soon as you step inside.
One cabinet is packed with collectibles, the next shelf holds handmade goods from a hobbyist, such as soaps in playful shapes, and a little further along lie second-hand items including toys and crockery.
A different shop on every visit
That mix is what makes the place worth a look.
Most people do not come in for one particular item but simply to browse, and you might walk in for a small present and leave with a vintage find, an unusual collectible or something you did not know you were looking for.
Because the sellers fill their own places, the range on offer shifts constantly, so a walk around Uw Winkeltje turns into a small treasure hunt each time.
Anyone who wants to clear out their own cupboards can take a spot in the shop as well. A shelf costs 9.50 euros per week.
