X Bank Amsterdam is Open
Yesterday (24/2/2016) we attended the, long awaited, opening of the X Bank Store and Gallery in Amsterdam. The X Bank is the store ( or “‘creative incubator’ concept space”) of the fairly new W Amsterdam hotel; The X Bank is situated across the street from the hotel next to the hotel-restaurant The Duchess. The concept store has two entrances; one in the Spuistraat 174, via the gallery and one via The Duchess. This conglomerate of Stag Europe can be found just behind the Dam square, we don’t need to tell you that’s a top AA+ location for any company……. The X Bank got it’s name from the former owner (1915-2013): the Kas Bank, a Dutch bank mainly dealing with pension funds, they moved their offices a couple of streets further. The W Amsterdam also added 66 rooms, a spa, a nightclub and a pool to the building. Anyways…..the building is precious; it’s a national monument designed, in 1908, by F.W.M. Poggenbeek. It’s re-designed by Office Winhov, restored by Hoek architectuur & restauratie, the interior is designed by BK architecture.
Okay back to the X Bank; this large store is filled to the rim (literally; don’t forget to check out the ceiling as well) with Dutch fashion, design and art. That’s the fun part of the concept; all products are made by Dutchmen/women; on stock are 180 brands, established ones like Philips, Moooi, SuperTrash and Viktor & Rolf next to lesser known, smaller brands like By Brown (rain dresses), Eijk-Amsterdam (shoes) and Mimi Berlin (yes, us!). Products range from fashion to bicycles to alcohol, teapots, underwear, cupboards, face massagers, books, art, vases, cushions and much much more (but no liquorice..or maybe we just didn’t see that?) Since the shop carries 180 brands you can probably wander around at the X Bank for hours. Come to think of it; you can spend a complete day, if you break for lunch at The Duchess. Open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Spuistraat 174, Amsterdam.
We took more pictures, we posted them facebook.