ARI Vintage – A hidden gem full of hidden gems

Ari’s vintage store didn’t even have an official name until a while back. People probably knew it as ‘that crazy junk store on the Overtoom’ or ‘the store with the living room outside’. On nice days, Ari and his crew tend to put a couple of their couches, chairs, lamps and brick-a-brack outside on the pavement, creating a relaxed hangout right in the hustle and bustle of the Overtoom traffic. The store’s welcoming feel lifts it from a lot of the other vintage stores in Amsterdam. Even if I don’t end up buying something, I end up sitting outside, chatting.

It’s packed to the brim inside, but what may seem like colorful chaos is in fact a meticulous collection of beautiful vintage furniture, clothing and weird paraphernalia, all hand-picked and continuously replenished by Ari himself, who has been in the second hand trade for years. Some of the things he sells are even personal family heirlooms!

Ari admits to having a weak spot for slightly ugly stuff. So do I! Some things are beautiful in their ugliness, and I love rummaging around the like a magpie sifting rhinestones through rubble. The store seems endless. It’s amazing how much well-priced stuff you can find, and the fact that you have to actively comb through it is what I love about vintage shopping, and why I love this place. You have to search the city to find it, and search some more once inside, but either search is well worth it!