Bookstore De Vries Van Stockum
Must-see historic bookshops in The Hague and Haarlem, The Netherlands
Bookworms and booklovers visiting The Netherlands shouldn't miss these historic bookshops during they stay in Holland. Check out these monumental bookstores when in Haarlem or The Hague - which also have a range of English books as well. Find out which addresses to add to your bucketlist and read all about the history of these bookstores on this page.
Cosy bookstories start here
Bookstore Haarlem
- since 1905 -
Jacobijnestraat 7, Haarlem
Click here for more detailed tourist information about this store
Plan your visit: click here for our up-to-date opening times
Bookstore The Hague
- since 1833 -
De Passage 11, The Hague
More detailed tourist information about this location will be published soon
Plan your visit: click here for our up-to-date opening times
The English Bookstore
- since 2022 -
De Passage 24, The Hague
Click here for our all-English books section on our website
Plan your visit: click here for our up-to-date opening times
History of these bucket-list worthy bookstores
In 1905, Hendrick de Vries started a bookstore in Jacobijnestraat 3 in Haarlem (NH), The Netherlands. It soon expanded to the four buildings surrounding no. 3 and these new departments were connected to each other - nót by knocking down the walls in between – but by making quirky little passages between them. This way, the store preserved its intimate atmosphere and the building maintained its tell-tale walls. Booksellers are often spotted proudly narrating the store’s history whilst guiding customers and tourists past architectural oddities.
Over time, he Haarlem-based bookstore also took over the historic Van Stockum in The Hague, which was also a family-owned business and had an even longer history. Van Stockum was founded in 1833 and has seen various locations in The Hague. The 'younger' Haarlem bookshop however, has always remained in the same building since it was founded in 1905. And these buildings date back to the 17th century and even include part of the old Haarlem city wall! Both bookstores now carry the name De Vries Van Stockum, and the The Hague shop is currently located in the monumental Passage - which coincidentally was built around the time that Van Stockum opened his bookshop in the 19th century. So in the end, the historic The Hague bookshop is located in a building befitting its long history.
Losing track of time browsing books is no exceptional feat – especially here. But Jeltje de Vries’ smart watch is ticking just fine. “Open-minded enterprising is in our blood. My great-grandfather certainly was. He was the first bookseller in the Netherlands who insisted on leaving the front door open – much to the dismay of his contemporaries.” – Jeltje de Vries, great-granddaughter of Hendrik de Vries and current owner of De Vries Van Stockum.
Jeltje de Vries certainly lives up to the enterprising family name. She opened an all-English bookstore in The Hague - right across the 'normal bookstore' in De Passage - to accomodate the international students, expats and business people in the city centre. You can find The English Bookstore at number 24 in De Passage. She also opened a French bistro in linked to het bookstore in Haarlem called Le Petit Cafe. A fresh book and a French croissant: the perfect combination.
