De Grutterswinkel Museum

A real shop

In the historic centre of Leeuwarden – less than five minutes from the train and bus station – you’ll find the De Grutterswinkel museum at Nieuwesteeg 5. As soon as you open the shop door, you’ll step back in time to your grandmother’s era. The shelves are packed with tins and products from days gone by, such as stove polish, Vim, peas and beans, and of course old-fashioned sweets, liquorice and biscuits. And all these treats are still widely available at De Grutterswinkel. Without a scanner or barcodes, the old till still does the job (though you can pay by card too, of course).

Coffee shop

In the former living rooms, you’ll be served a fresh cup of coffee or tea with orange cake and authentic Fryske Dúmkes. It’s also possible to book one of the rooms for a coffee party or a Frisian bread meal with a group of friends or family. You can make a booking by calling us during opening hours on 058-2153427 or by sending an email to info@grutterswinkel-leeuwarden.nl.

Wine cellar

Below the coffee room is another four-century-old wine cellar with trough vaulting. This used to be used to store all kinds of wines and spirits. In later years, the Feenstra sisters' home-made fruit and vegetable preserves were displayed here.

Exhibition

Upstairs, an exhibition on the history of the grocery business has been set up. A small fee is charged to visit this exhibition but the shop and coffee room are accessible free of charge.