Image by Ysabel Jongeneelen

In the Hoogstraat (close to the Zwarte Panter, check the Zwarte Panter article) there is a little shop called ‘Achter de Maan’ (Behind the Moon).

It is not so easy to tell what they are selling, but it is always fun. They have a lot of design things, and a lot of toys. One of the characteristics is that almost all objects are funny. They make me smile. There are original umbrella’s (in the shape of little persons), bags, funny kitchen stuff and Japanese toys. The sell similar things to Akotee (check the Akotee article) on the Melkmarkt, but yet they have their own style. In Dutch we call the things they sell ‘hebbedingetjes’: little things you want to have, but that are mostly not needed.

What I don’t like is that they sell a lot of plastic and that it is a little bit too expensive. But is is really a great shop to find the perfect present. For somebody else or for yourself.

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Achter de Maan | Shopping
Hoogstraat 45 | Meir | +3232907292
Mon & Wed – Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Ysabel Jongeneelen

Even when you’re not a metal or Gothic or a punk-fan, there’s a shop in the Kammenstraat in Antwerp that is great fun and worth a visit. ‘Fans’ is a clothing shop for Gothics and vampires, and other subcultures and species… You can almost permanently find youngsters with extreme black clothing in this strange shop that has opened the seventies.

The owners of the Fans faced a lot of difficulties and lawsuits over the years because the neighbors considered them dangerous and provocative. But the people that come here may look dangerous, they are often insecure and mostly very nice. When I spoke to the owner last week, he told me: ‘We only get bloodthirsty after closing time…’ I thought this was very funny. In September they wrote `Black to School…’ on the windows.

I used to be afraid to go inside, but since a while I go there sometimes and wander around in the very little shop. It is a lot of fun. They sell the strangest things. I got me a ‘Giant Microbe’ – they’re like teddy bear microbes. I got “the flu”. They also sell coffin-shaped wallets, and of course a lot of clothes. Some are really wearable for ‘outsiders’.

This shop is an icon in Antwerp; almost everybody knows ‘the Fans’ and it is a part of this city. They say it’s a gate to the Underworld, but it is also an interesting place with interesting objects…

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Fans | Shopping
Kammenstraat 80 | Meir | +3232323172
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Ysabel Jongeneelen

When you are in Antwerp on a Friday morning, it is something you really have to see: the strange and famous ‘Vrijdagse Markt’.

It’s great and it’s so typically Antwerp. It’s Friday morning adventure. A second hand market but as an auction: they talk really ‘aantwaarps’ and sometimes you think they will be fighting soon because people get all excited.

They mostly sell furniture and bicycles but it is incredible what else you can buy there: a box with toothbrushes made in 1963, a complete correspondence between a mother and a son over twenty years, a broken toaster, etc. Sometimes it is real rubbish and sometimes it is a treasure. A lot of the things come from old people that died, shops that went bankrupt.

It starts at nine in the morning and it finishes at one o’clock in the afternoon. The garbage car comes between one and two and cleans the whole square. And that’s necessary. All the things that nobody wanted are left behind.

I don’t know how long it already exists, but I guess it has always been there. I’m mostly working on a Friday morning and I don’t go there often, but when I have the chance I don’t want to miss it, this special market, so lively, so energetic.

Tip: the museum of Plantijn en Moretus is on the same square…

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Friday Market | Art & culture, Shopping | Free
Vrijdagmarkt | Meir
Fri 09:00 – 13:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Niko Caignie

If you want to wander among the real citizens of Antwerp, get up early on a Sunday morning and visit the market place. Here the salesmen, shout and show off their goods. Especially some fruit sellers are really funny to watch.

Recently the Antwerp city built a roof over this huge square. The elements of nature won’t interfere with your shopping needs anymore!

On Saturdays the market place is about delicious food, vegetables, fruits and exotic items for your meals. On Sunday you can find general household items, clothes & food.

Worth a visit, worth getting up early!

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Theaterplein | Shopping | Free
Theaterplein | Meir
Sat 07:00 – 16:00, Sun 07:00 – 13:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Igor Daems

I like independent bookstores. They almost all have to struggle hard to compete with the large chain stores so I think we should all support them.

‘t Stad Leest (the city reads) is a new independent bookstore in the centre of Antwerp and I loved it from the first step I took inside. It’s housed in a historic building, you first walk through a big entrance hall and then you arrive in large space, more clean, white and modern than you would expect from the outside.

No bookcases here, just large white tables with the books on top. I like the fact that you immediately see the cover of each book, you don’t have to bend your head in strange ways to read the title like in other stores. The range of books they sell here is great: contemporary books next to a selection of the classics.

There’s also a good quantity of English novels and a separate department of children books. For me this bookstore is a winner. The atmosphere is great, because it’s so spacious you never feel it’s too busy and they play nice music. My only problem is finding time to read all the books I buy …

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Bookstore ‘t Stad Leest | Shopping | English paperback € 10
Steenhouwersvest 16 | Meir | +3232330880
10:00 – 18:30 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline Dhont

Alright boys, sorry about this, but this will be a very girly post. So maybe you should skip to the next article, or if you want to score with your girlfriend and take her to this special shop, do keep reading!

Girls! Sienna is a small shopping paradise. It might be a little store, but it’s packed with beautiful dresses, skirts and blouses! Here you can find that perfect outfit for every special occasion. The only problem is that you might look better than, for instance, the bride .

The personnel is also very helpful, and will help you looking for that perfect piece. Just around the corner is ‘Little Sienna’, where you maybe can even find a junior version of the dress you bought for your mini-me, isn’t that cute?

And to be ahead of everyone, the shop will send you (if you like) a text message or e-mail to announce when a new collection has come in. Sienna a shop worthy of fashion city Antwerp!

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Sienna | Shopping
Lombardenvest 56 | Meir | +3232273666
Mo – Thu 10:00 – 18:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 18:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

One day you will tell your children you used to buy music in a shop. And when you describe this shop, ‘Fat Kat’ is your perfect prototype! This is one of the only remaining independent record shops in Antwerp, and I think the reason it still exists is love! Love for music.

The owner still carefully selects all the music (cd and vinyl, new and 2nd handed) that you can’t find in your average department store. That new underground sound you just discovered yesterday, you can probably find here today.

I also love the simplicity of the interior, the colourful postered walls and the easiness to find what you’re looking for. You might walk inside in a nostalgic mood and step back outside holding a little treasure you’ve been looking for ages!

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Fat Kat Records | Music, Shopping
Lange Koepoortstraat 51 | Meir | +3232320941
Tue – Thu 12:00 – 18:00, Fri – Sat 10:30 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Caroline D'hont

The Antwerp city centre is a shopping Walhalla. However, allow yourself to wander off the beaten track to discover unique little shopping paradises. Or in this case, a real shopping ‘palace’!

Here you can find everything to fit in with the fe/male Antwerpians: Shoes, clothes (from pretty dresses to tough lumberjack shirts) and accessories. And of course -my trademark- all very affordable.

The staff are very friendly. They always say hello, but they leave you to your shopping. But when you need some help to squeeze into that skinny jeans, they’re right at your service! Be sure to ask for a ‘Paleis kaart’ and you’ll get a 10% reduction right away. Also, you always get a cute reusable shopping bag that has come in handy for me about a million times.

On top of all that, they often have mid-season sales and late night shopping with free drinks and snacks. You should check their Facebook page for that.

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Paleis | Shopping
Lange Koepoortstraat 39 | Meir | +3232323891
Mon & Wed – Sat 10:30 – 18:00, Sun 14:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Tinneke Voet

Theme parties are very trendy lately. So whenever I have a party, I also go to Episode… It’s a second hand shop and you can find anything there.

These are the themes I shopped for at Episode:

- Lumberjack Party- After Ski Party- Keeping Up Appearances (Hyacinth and Onslow!)- Totally Wrong 80′s Party- Fluo ‘this is the sound of C’ party (New Beat!)- 90′s Party- Barbie and Ken go Western- Remember Michael Jackson

And believe me, my outfit always was very successful!

Just go check it out, have a laugh or find something really nice (when you search good, you can also find things you can wear without going to a theme party )

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Episode | Shopping
Steenhouwersvest 34 | Meir | +3232343414
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp

Image by Tinneke Voet

Next to APC (check the APC article) you find Step by Step, and when you enter Step by Step after visiting APC, it feels like you are in Paris in stead of Antwerp. A set of Barbie dolls welcomes you before you walk in the Walhalla of French Brands. You can find Vanessa Bruno, Isabel Marant, Anna Sui, … The shop (first housed at another spot) almost had to close, but an employee and a very good customer saved the shop and reopened it in Lombardenvest. Thank god for that!

I don’t try to go there that often, because it is quite expensive (and you always see something you really really want), but when sales start: I’m there! I have a small size and they always have a lot of trousers in small sizes left. And prices really go down a lot!

Every sales period I go there, and I must say, my collection is getting bigger and bigger. I smile every time I see all those beautiful (cheap!) clothes in my closet.

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Step by Step | Shopping
Lombardenvest 16 | Meir | +3232131854
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Antwerp