Such a unique concept, not a real vintage store but they sell clothes meant to look vintage (1950s).read more

This was totally my jam. Having checked out a few vintage-inspired shops in Netherlands and…read moreBelgium, and having been underwhelmed by those, I loved this one. It was my favorite by far. The shop girl was a doll, and this place had items from Collectif and Irregular Choice. They had a nicely curated selection of wiggle dresses, fuller dresses, crinolines, and some extremely cute novelty prints on knit and cotton dresses. A few pairs of vintage looking shoes, and a couple Irregular Choice more whimsical, undefinable shoes, and quite a number of wallets, a small selection of jewelry. I love how they curated the clothes by color. Also, in favor of this store, the fact that they had a variety of sizes that included up to 2XL, from what I saw, whereas lots of other shops of this genre, which appeared to only carry tiny sizes. Loved this one.

My sister and I visited this store a couple of weeks ago. We found some great sales. We…read moreinteracted with three store employees, and frankly they were Super! Gregory is a superstar, and really works hard to get the customer what they are looking for. He talked me into signing up for the loyalty card, which I don't often do, because I don't like the promotional material that follows. However, he was such a great salesperson that I couldn't resist, and I am glad I did. Great experience!!!

A slice of real life, for when you're tired of Brugge's fairy-tale tourist sites…read more The Dutch chain HEMA is ubiquitous--good for your basic needs in cosmetics, housewares, and cheap clothes. However, the secret of this Belgian HEMA is that it offers the famous 1 euro breakfast on the upper floor. People of all stripes start lining up before the store even opens: chic young things, middle-aged matrons, families with many kids, and a couple of impoverished-looking old men. Everyone patiently waited for the cafeteria-style breakfast: an egg/bacon sandwich on a baguette, croissant, jam, juice, and coffee. Even in this reduced-expectations setting, the niceties are not forgotten. You still get a speculoos cookie on your saucer, gratis. And the interior is clean and modern, IKEA-style, where that you can overlook the busy street below while you eat. Everything was, surprisingly, fresh and delicious. For a euro! The idea that you might want anything other than this amazing bargain is foreign to the staff. So an impatient cashier simply removed the chocolate croissant from my husband's plate and replaced it with a plain one. Stupid tourists! HEMA: for insight into the local mindset, a filling breakfast, and an all-too-rare bargain in Brugge.

We discovered Hema yesterday after spending 15 Euros each for breakfast at our hotel. This morning…read moreI got the (now) 2 Euro breakfast: An egg sandwich, croissant, and cup of latte. My wife bought a couple of rashers of bacon, yogurt with fruit, and a latte. I also bought a cup of yogurt with fruit and muesli. The entire bill came to 6.75 Euros! We might have paid more. But the person behind the counter advised us to switch a couple of things and buy the 2 Euro breakfast. This place is known far and wide among Europeans for good, inexpensive food. It's cafeteria style. Clean, good service, and a table near the window gives an excellent view of Steenstraat below with beautiful 15th - 18th century buildings across the street. If we had planned to return to Bruges, we might have kept it a secret!