The American Book Center’s new pop-up shop in Amstelveen: an insider’s guide

The American Book Center is an independent, family owned bookstore that sells English-language books in the Netherlands. Recently, ABC has opened a new store in Amstelveen. 

ABC has had a store in Amsterdam since 1972, and a store in The Hague since 1976. In June 2020, ABC opened a new pop-up store in Stadshart Amstelveen, Amstelveen’s shopping mall. Given that ABC’s Amsterdam store was listed as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, it’ll come as no surprise that the new store is very aesthetically pleasing (for some serious bookish aesthetics, you can check out ABC’s Instagram). Filled with books (and also quite a few plants), ABC’s Amstelveen store is the perfect place to pop into for a peaceful browsing session.

I’ve been a bookseller at ABC since the beginning of this year, and while I mostly work at the store in The Hague, I’ve also spent quite some time at the new store in Amstelveen- and let me tell you, it’s really wonderful. If you’re in the Amstelveen area (or if you plan your day-trips around book shopping as any normal person would) then I would highly recommend popping by to browse our leafy shelves.

Reading on the job. Image: American Book Center/Supplied.

As is the case in its Amsterdam and The Hague stores, ABC’s Amstelveen pop up is filled with carefully selected books. From manga to Young Adult to cookbooks, you can find something there for every kind of booklover. We also offer a 10% discount to students, people over 65, and anyone who has a loyalty card for Stadshart Amstelveen. If you don’t fit any of those categories, you can also get yourself an ABC Discount Card for €7 per year, which is valid at all our stores.

As in our other stores, you’ll also find a curated collection of Staff Favourites. We’re especially proud of our children’s section there- which is just as well, as we get quite a few young booklovers popping by. We’ve also got a rocking horse and a storm trooper to keep them amused, as well as lots of cozy spots for you to sit down and make the most difficult decision known to man: which book should I take home with me today?

As always, it’s good to know the details. You can find ABC’s Amstelveen store at Binnenhof 27, inside Stadshart Amstelveen. The store is located next to Footlocker and opposite The Athlete’s Foot inside the mall. You can check the opening hours here. If you live in Amstelveen, you can take Tram 5 to the mall entrance closest to the store. And, if you’re not an Amstelveen resident, then it’s good to know that the store is very well connected to public transport: once you get on a bus that stops at Amstelveen bus station, the mall is just around the corner (and so is your next read).

Have you been to the new ABC store in Amstelveen yet? Let us know how it was in the comments below!

Feature Image: American Book Center/Supplied. 

Ailish Lalor
Ailish Lalor
Ailish was born in Sydney, Australia, but grew up by a forest in south-east Ireland, which she has attempted to replace with a living room filled with plants in The Hague. Besides catering to her army of pannenkoekenplantjes, Ailish spends her days convincing her friends that all food is better slightly burnt, plotting ways to hang out with dogs and cats, and of course, writing for DutchReview.

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