6 handy shops you need to know in Arnhem.

When you move to Arnhem, and the only thing you carry with you is a suitcase, you might need a thing or two to make your new house your home. Here are 6 handy shops you need to know about in Arnhem.

There are a few shops in Arnhem where you can go and buy almost anything! Furniture, bed stuff, pot, pans and plates, clothes, food… You name it, they have it! We made a selection of 6 shops for you, 5 of them are ‘budget’ shops, only Blokker is not.
*Read our blog on where you can find a house in Arnhem.*

HEMA

The HEMA is a Dutch store chain, the first HEMA opened in Amsterdam on 4 November 1926, set up by the Jewish owners of the luxury department store De Bijenkorf. Originally, as a price-point retailer at prime locations in town centers, goods were sold using standard prices, with everything having a standard price of 10, 25 or 50 cents, and later also 75 and 100 cents. The relative economic boom in the Netherlands in the period 1900–1930 benefited HEMA. (Source: Wikipedia)

HEMA is specially known for their “rookworst” and “tompouche”. Also a nice place when you want to have a budget breakfast. The address of the HEMA in Arnhem Center is Rijnstraat 38, across from the Mc Donalds, H&M and Bakker Bart. Webshop available.

Action

Action is a fast-growing international non-food (they do sell food!) discounter with more than 680 stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Austria and more than 28,000 employees. With our Dutch origin (the first Action store opened in Enkhuizen in the Netherlands in July 1993) and no-nonsense approach, we are known for our low prices and our diverse and surprising range.
About a third of the more than 6,000 products we sell are part of our standard range. The rest of our range varies and is always changing. Our stores sell cleaning products, office supplies, toys and textiles – among other things. (Source: Artion.nl)
The Action is located at Nieuwstraat 8.

SoLow

At the SoLow shop you can find a large range of things. From kitchen stuff to dog collars, smartphone covers to theme party clothes and from flip flops to craft supplies. The website is pretty crappy, as you can see, not much information about the products there. You can find the shop at the Jansstraat 28.

Flying Tiger

The Flying Tiger shop originally is Danish shop, where in 1995 they opened their 1st shop. Now, the chain has over 540 shops in 26 countries. The 1st Dutch store opened in 2008, in Arnhem! Whenever I pass by the shop, I always have to step in for a peek. It’s not too big, but they change the stock often.
There is always some new and interesting item to be found. I buy my candles there. Nice colour selection, they burn for a long time and are not expensive. Take a look at the shop when you are in the Koningstraat, you can find Flying Tiger at number 70.

Xenos

Xenos is Greek for ‘strange’. All you’ll find in our store, is slightly different. Each item has a story. We bring them to you from all corners of the world. Sometimes they are a little bit crazy, sometimes very adventurous, or tasty…. But always unusually nice. Xenos was founded in 1973 and imported articles from countries like China and India that were still nowhere on the shelves in the Netherlands.

In the ’80s Xenos became part of Blokker Holding, whereby the assortment was enlarged and the number of stores expanded considerably. From the first three offices in Eindhoven, Amsterdam and Utrecht Xenos grew into an international chain of living, household and gift shops, where trendy, decorative, surprising and practical products and accessories are sold at low prices. At present Xenos has about 260 stores in the Netherlands and Germany.
The shop is popular for their selection in teas, and nice interior items.
Find Xenos at the Roggestraat 32. Webshop available.

Blokker

On April 25, 1896 Jacob Blokker and his wife Saapke Cooper founded the cheap “Iron and Wood Shop” in Hoorn. The store grew rapidly and expanded to different properties. From the 1930s four sons of Blokker opened several other shops under the name Brothers Blokker. This tradition was continued by their descendants, and Blokker became a nationwide retail chain.
Blokker has restored historic storefronts in several places over the years or have reconstruct the building in which their stores are located, including the Rotterdam Hoogstraat and Hoogstraat in Wageningen. Blokker now has 836 stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Suriname.

The company is the origin of the international retail and wholesale company Blokker Holding. They are renewing the brand and even hired American actress Sarah Jessica Parker to start in their commercials!
Go to Blokker when you need a selection of cleaning goods, household items, pots and pans of a good quality, boards games and toys. Blokker is located at Brouwersplein 23. Webshop available.

Extra tip!

Ikea also delivers at home. Perfect when you don’t own a car. Ikea (Duiven, nearest to Arnhem) is not well accessible by public transport, and quite a bike ride away so why not let them deliver items to your home ;).