Back to the Vintage: Second-hand in Groningen

From an old closet for  your room to a unique fashion item to spice up your outfit: Minor Journalism students Serena and Sandy present their guide to the must-go-to vintage shops in Groningen.

Mamamini
Noorderbinnensingel 100

Mamamini is the ultimate shop for buying second-hand items. They own a great diversity of old and (relatively) new, furniture and fashion, household stuff and entertainment. ‘If you are looking for cheap and usable items for daily use, Mamamini is the place to look for’, says Mamamini employee Joelia den Holland.

Vintage KROY Classic wears
Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat 35

Looking for good quality fashion items? KROY Vintage will satisfy your needs. Exclusive old jackets, coats and hats are brought back to life and fit your closet better than most modern items. ‘I want everyone to wear what they want and mix Vintage in their own way. That, to me, is what is modern’, says KROY owner George Saya.

Nelzer
Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat  46

Nelzer offers a wide range of unique items; from jewellery, postcards, ‘prom’ dresses, handbags and shoes to interior decoration. Simple and with a wink to the past: ‘Mixing the old with the new and creating something totally new’ is owner Nelske Elzer’s motto. Cool fact: If you want to buy some original work of Nelske, you can find her professional photographs throughout the store.

Recessie
Oude Kijk in’t Jatstraat 54

This vintage shop is perfect for finding fabulous party outfits:  from disco costume to football player outfit, Recessie has it all. Moreover, Recessie owns a great deal of original and unique cowboy boots, in case you feel like exploring your inner cowboy. ‘We have costumes, regular clothes, shoes, cowboy boots for all kinds of people and all kinds of events, it is your own mix-and-match adventure’ says owner Wolter Schoorl.

April
Oude Kijk in’t Jatstraat 3

April offers a wide range of special-occasion dresses; prom, gala or something for a fancy night out. They also offer vintage styles that range from the roaring twenties to the iconic fifties. The dresses are mainly from designers as  Rene Derhy and Henza Benty. When you want to go shopping here, don’t forget your wallet, since the dresses are exclusive and quite pricey. ‘The quality is high and most of it is hand-made, you can tell that it is the work of great designers’ explains employer Didi Paap. Interested? Then hesitate no longer, because the shop will close soon, in October this year.

Mona Lisa
Schuitendiep 64

If you are looking for high quality vintage clothes for a reasonable price, Mona Lisa might be the best place to look for in Groningen. Liesbeth Harteveld, the elegant-looking owner of the store, is also a fan of vintage style herself. ‘Vintage style has always been my favourite. I only select high quality and hand-made vintage fashion items.’  You can find unique clothes of various styles, leather bags, and shoes while enjoying the atmosphere of this tiny vintage store. It’s definitely a must-go-to.

Onder de Linden
Steentilstraat 15

This is one of the core vintage stores in Groningen; it offers a wide variety of designer and non-designer fashion items. You can mix-and-match and find some unique pieces to fill up your closet. ‘Vintage style is amazing because there is only one item of everything and that makes it so special’, says employee Simone Rienstra.

Stardust
Carolieweg 13

Stardust is a very new and modern store that offers a modern twist on vintage clothes but also sells unique items. You can find real vintage and some designer brands at the same time. Platform shoes, handbags, jewellery, Polaroid cameras and books, you can find it all here. ‘We want to offer our customers a comfortable environment just like they’re walking through their own closet says owner Simone Wielinga. Stardust was founded in 2012 and is the first ‘modern’ vintage shop in Groningen. They work closely together with local designers.

Serena Melenhorst & Sandy Kim
Minor Journalism 2014/15

Photos: Šarūnė Paulauskaitė