I love thrift stores in general, and this one in particular. I get the impression that there isn't the same sort of fascination with groovy thrift store finds in Europe as there is in America, or at least the San Francisco Bay Area. I have this impression because I rarely see shoppers under forty at the Pikulan, and because their items are dirt cheap. It's my one regular stop in the Netherlands where I don't feel the painful effect of the weak dollar in comparison to the stronger Euro. If my observation is correct, please don't tell the young people of Surhuisterveen how great thrift store shopping is! The last thing I want is for their prices to go up, or for a crowd to be there the next time I go in.
As an added bonus, their staff is friendly and always helpful. They're a tad shy about speaking English and ik spreek niet so goed Nederlands af Fries. That said, it's never stopped them from giving me top-notch service. The items are clean and very well organized.
If you come at certain times, you can enjoy a very nice coffee hour with locals and employees for a small donation. And the best part? It's for charity! While it doesn't necessarily elevate shopping to a noble deed, it sure beats padding corporate profits. read more