In the category very special locations for very special book shops: Waanders, situated in de Broerenkerk of Zwolle. During my hotel school and during my work at ‘De Librije’ (a 3 Michelin star restaurant) I lived in Zwolle and absolutely enjoyed it.
When one thinks of cities in the Netherlands places as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague will pop up in your head, as these are the 4 biggest and well known ones. But Zwolle, situated in the eastern part of the country – much smaller than cities as Amsterdam or Rotterdam – truly is a city to remember. It’s a historic, beautiful place with many old, typical Dutch ‘Hanzestad’ buildings, lots of trees, parks and green around it and close to the river IJssel (lovely for boat trips or cycling alongside the river). The city itself is upmarket, stylish and neat, with good quality boutiques, interior and design shops and good restaurants. Last but not least; there is a fantastic book store in Zwolle; Waanders. Situated in an old church, must-visit whenever you are in Zwolle.
The old details of the church are still very much visible, with the high arches, glass in lead and the old organ. But now there are hundreds of books too. Can it get any better? Yes! Now there is coffee too. And cake!
Waanders in de Broeren offers a huge range of books. Mostly Dutch, in all sorts of categories’; from cooking books to interior design and from novel to art history, and there is a big section of English literature too. Besides books one can find a huge range of creative and fun presents, such as luxury stationary, paper, music, film and magazines. Every now and then organise concerts, lectures and exhibitions in the bookstore.
The Facts
Waanders in de Broeren bookstore is open Monday until Saturday from 10.00h – 18.00h, except for Mondays; then they open at 12.00h, and on Thursdays (shop night in Zwolle) they only close at 21.00h. The address is Achter de Broeren 1-3 in Zwolle.
*Note: It was my own idea to write about Waanders in de Broeren. I have not been paid or invited to do so. All images are my own, made with a Canon EOS M camera.
