Groos

Imagine missing the train on Christmas Eve; your family will soon be enjoying a picture perfect Christmas Eve dinner without you. You are all by yourself, wandering the streets, somewhat lost… You turn a corner when all of a sudden sparkling window lights brighten your view. Intrigued by the four meter wide window display, your eyes slowly glide onto the scene behind the glass, until you hit the entrance. A smart looking chap with a curly mustache stands outside the door opening, lights a cigarette and says: «Welcome to GROOS!» You stumble in and realise you have arrived in what seems to be a candy store for grown-​ups. From limited edition prints, stunningly appliqued cushions, rainbow-​coloured trousers, cups and saucers with hand-​painted characters, quirky books, custom furniture and birdhouse lamps, every corner of the shop is filled with something of interest. Everything is for sale and every item has its own story to tell.
Shop-​owners Tjeerd and Joost are always on hand to tell you where each item comes from and what on earth the store’s name means. Groos: an old Rotterdam slang word meaning proud. And that makes perfect sense, because this newly opened concept store is filled with items designed exclusively by designers from Rotterdam. And there’s no crap being offered here, I can tell you. All you can see here is rather special and lovingly made. GROOS takes ‘retail is detail’ to an awesome new level.
And there’s more! GROOS uses its store for Sunday afternoon events, where you can watch, taste, listen and enjoy even more of the city’s coolest stuff.
As seen on I Know This Great Little Place in Rotterdam (
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