Albert Cuyp Market

Albert Cuypstraat between Van Woustraat and Ferdinand Bolstraat
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

Neighborhood street market with nearly 300 vendors - and nary a tourist.

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Why It Works

Albert Cuyp is a mile-long, no-nonsense, 100-year-old street market where locals stock up on food, flowers, clothes and notions six days a week. There is something very satisfying about a market in the middle of the street, where cars are banned and pedestrians rule. The market has nearly 300 vendors on both sides of the street facing a central aisle that runs down the middle of four blocks of Albert Cuypstraat. Here you'll see the newer faces of Amsterdam - Kurds, Serbs and Cambodians - selling and buying alongside the ruddy old-timers, all of whom use this market as their everyday larder, choosing from fruits and vegetables, fresh chickens on ice, and smoked and fresh fish. You can walk through Albert Cuyp and see nary a tourist, feeling, for just a moment, what it must be like to be a native. There is no pretension here, but value is everywhere.

Most of the stores on Albert Cuypstraat display their wares on the sidewalk and some even have market stalls. There are a lot of flower and plant merchants and clothing stores whose prices attract a regular following, and little cafes along the street selling local specialties. This is a good neighborhood to scout out the numerous cheap ethnic restaurants operated by recent immigrants. However, a PPS site visit in February, 2002 raised concerns about the increasing number of clothing vendors and the decreasing number of food vendors.

Contact Info:

Market manager Peter Tesselaar

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User Comments:

02/08/02 Peter Tesselaar said:
about the Albert Market: is a market with 268 vendors. (stalls) and also appr. 100 shops. U can visit the market from monday/saturday. (6 days a week). I am retailer on this market. So, for more information, do not hesitate and contact me by: e-mail petertesselaar@planet.nl.
05/10/02 larry beckhardt said:
I don't want to be too critical of the Albert Cuyp Market, but I was disappointed. It's basically a tacky flee market (without any antiques), and thefew decent fresh food and cheese stands were simply overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, though, I love Amsterdam - just wish Albert Cuyp was more like the Rue Cler, or other market streets, in Paris.
06/05/05 Peter Groenendaal said:
Gefeliciteerd! Congratulations! The calendar says it's the sunday the 5th of june 2005 and The Albert Cuyp Market is celebrating their 100th aniversary with a.o. a beautiful book and a number of sunday openings. Well deserved during a time where the construction of the Metro North / South Line has made things tough for the merchants and shopkeepers alike. We wish you a prosperous and happy Anniversary year! The Dapper Market Management Team Amsterdam, The Netherlands http://www.oost-watergraafsmeer.nl

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