Skyrocketing Prices May Close This 400 Year Old Coffee Shop – CoffeeTalk

‘t Zonnetje, a 17th-century shop in Amsterdam’s city center, is set to close at the end of May due to rising rents and gentrification. The shop, which has been a beloved institution for nearly 400 years, is nestled between a flower shop and a clothing store. Its longtime owner, Marie-Louise Velder, has received support from customers and friends since the closure was reported by Dutch newspaper Het Parool in mid-April. Velder, who was born and raised in Amsterdam, has received an outpouring of support from customers and friends since the closure was reported by Dutch newspaper Het Parool in mid-April.

Longtime customers have expressed deep sadness over the news. Kate Carlisle, an eight-year resident of Amsterdam and a longtime visitor, first discovered ‘t Zonnetje during a trip to the Dutch capital before moving there. She now visits the shop every couple of weeks to buy coffee, bonding with Velder through the years over their shared love of java and animals. Carlisle said ‘t Zonnetje’s closure would be a significant loss for the city.

The shop’s wooden floors are original, with shelves housing weathered tins of loose-leaf tea and spices. Dispensers of whole coffee beans from countries around the world, including Ethiopia, Portugal, and Peru, stand side by side behind the counter, on which a vintage Berkel scale cuts a commanding presence. According to Amsterdam’s tourism website, the building reportedly dates back to 1642 (though a book about the shop by a Dutch author and former shop owner that Velder keeps handy puts the date at 1612).

Velder purchased the business in 1999 without a contract, “just a handshake,” and the first few years presented a steep learning curve. However, she immersed herself in learning as much as she could about the industry and what customers were looking for. Eventually, she hit her stride, earning a reputation for high-quality products sourced from around the world. In the past, the shop has offered up to 350 varieties of tea, some made with her own “secret recipe.” Currently, 15 types of coffee are available.

Over the years, the shop also had an on-site cafe of sorts where patrons could linger over a cup of coffee and conversation. That feature has been closed since the pandemic, Velder said. Despite this, employees say ‘t Zonnetje remains a critical part of the true spirit of Amsterdam, serving as a gathering spot for neighbors and visitors while showcasing centuries of history.

Amsterdam, a city celebrating its 750th anniversary this October, is grappling with the challenge of preserving its unique history amid overtourism. City officials have focused on attracting visitors who appreciate Amsterdam’s museums and culture, rather than indulge in its infamous vices. Measures such as increasing tourist tax, banning tours in the historic De Wallen neighborhood, banning cruise ships, and limiting the opening of shops catering specifically to tourists have been met with mixed results.

Centuries-old businesses like ‘t Zonnetje, which have long been entrenched in their local neighborhoods, remain increasingly susceptible to rising rents. TikTok trendy eateries, generic sweet shops, and marijuana-specific coffeehouses are among the tourist set. In March 2023, US former boxing star Mike Tyson opened his first brick-and-mortar cannabis shop in Amsterdam. Some experts argue that city officials have not done enough to protect locally owned, long-established businesses like ‘t Zonnetje.

Dimitris Dalakoglou, an urban anthropologist and professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, warns that Amsterdam is becoming an empty façade of itself and that ‘t Zonnetje’s closure marked another “small death” for the city. The real estate in Amsterdam is changing fast to the benefit of capitalist profit-making, with the banking sector, real estate investors, and new richer inhabitants/users of urban spaces being pushed away.

At ‘t Zonnetje, Marie-Louise Velder claims that the building’s landlord has steadily increased the rent, which was about 18,000 euros (about $20,000) annually. In September 2024, the landlord proposed further increases, doubling the rent to about 6,000 euros (currently about $6,800) per month. Velder took the landlord to court over that proposed increase, but even with a judge’s decision to retroactively reduce the rent to about 50,000 euros per year ($56,000), costs of the business, including payroll for four staffers, remain too high to cover with sales bringing in only about 300 euros (about $340) a day.

Escalating rent is not the only challenge Velder has faced over the years. She has also had disputes with a local entrepreneur who she claims offered to help the business while it was in financial trouble. A proposed deal never materialized, and the two eventually ended up in court. Amsterdam lawyer Maarten Hilberdink described the shop’s potential closure as a “great loss for Amsterdam.”

Despite the challenges, Velder tries to maintain an upbeat attitude, chatting with her staffers and customers in Dutch and English. Her “baby” is now struggling through a very difficult stage and facing a highly uncertain future. It is unclear whether or how Amsterdam’s gemeente (municipal government) would or could grant the shop protected status. Longtime customers of ‘t Zonnetje hope something can be done before another piece of Amsterdam’s history is lost.

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