Oh, the love for shoes… I love shoes. All shoes. Not just sneakers. All shoes. As a man, I am very jealous of women and the choice of shoes they have. But luckily there are stores like Zwartjes. It is located at the Utrechtse straat (which is worth a walkthrough anyway) and its shoes are men only, and they’re really nice and mostly Italian.

From warm boots to fancy loafers and from colorful leather to classic Gibson, if you have any specific size or width, they will contact the supplier (mostly the factory itself) to check for you if they have it or if they can make it for you.

The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, giving you suggestions and tips on what and how to wear. There is always room for a chat and a cup of coffee, and they really do take their time for you. If you have damaged your shoes or just need a repair or new soles, you can also just return your pair here and they will take care of it. Prices vary based on the supplier, as they do not do this themselves, but you will get the original sole from the factory and installed by the factory.

If you don’t need shoes, just do some window shopping and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.