MENDO is moving to Nieuwe Doelenstraat 10

The end of an era…
When MENDO opened its doors in the Berenstraat in 2002, De 9 Straatjes were not half as popular as they are today. We still remember the crooked buildings, the Chinese restaurant, the coffee shop and the night café in the Berenstraat; completely different than it is today. You could still be a pioneer; try out something new. We started with art, graphic books and a handful of magazines. With great pleasure, we have seen the streets—and MENDO—develop into what they are today. Now it is time for MENDO to take a new step.

In practical terms, this means that the store in the Berenstraat will close after 18 years. We will hand over the keys of Berenstraat 11 to our friends from Filling Pieces. We’re happy to know that ‘our home’ is in good hands, when Filling Pieces turns it into one of their first satellite stores, expected to open in July. Do you want to know more about Filling Pieces? Read our Shelf Session with founder and creative director Guillaume Philibert.

… and the beginning of a new one
“The move to Nieuwe Doelenstraat is in line with where we are today as a company. You have to see the new store to understand that, ”said Joost Albronda. And the good news is: you can check out the new store soon. De L’Europe Amsterdam—and MENDO—will open their doors on Saturday 30 May.

The new store is unlike any other bookstore. Roy Rietstap: “We’re known for curating visually inspiring books, and we will continue to do so, but our aim is to extend what we are really about, which is connecting different generations and cultures with a common love for aesthetically pleasing books. I think that simply selling products is not that interesting anymore. People can buy any product they want online. The inspiration, the people, and the overall atmosphere is what matters most and our new store is the place where you will find just that.

The design of the new MENDO was done by our friends from Nicemakers, who are responsible for the complete transformation of the famous hotel De L’Europe Amsterdam. Nicemakers redesigned the space with the past in mind—it used to be the Johannes van Dam chamber—but added bespoke elements to make it uniquely new. Lotti Lorenzetti, Head of Design at Nicemakers explains: “We took the base of the room and the experience of MENDO, and combined them with the modern MENDO twist.

Well considered, MENDO opens its doors in the Nieuwe Doelenstraat for the second time. The first time was over two months ago, on the weekend of March 14 and 15—the exact weekend that the Netherlands went into an intelligent lockdown.

The new MENDO
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 10
Amsterdam
T +31 (0) 20 531 18 20

Opening hours
Tuesday – Sunday
10 am – 6 pm