Folkingestraat

In 2015, the Folkingestraat has been awarded the name of “the most fun shopping street of the Netherlands”.[1] It is filled with small, alternative shops and it has existed since the 11^th century. It also has a rich Jewish cultural history, with a Synagogue placed at one of the ends of the street.

Being ‘the most fun’, you would say that the Folkingestraat needs to have something unique in comparison to other shopping streets within and outside of Groningen. It is true that, if you compare it to the Herestraat (a bigger shopping street in Groningen), the atmosphere is different. There are no big stores such as the H&M, but small, unique shops. The award was given to the street after people could vote for their favourite street.

What is interesting is that, although the Folkingestraat is ‘most fun’, it is definitely not the most popular. In the Herestraat it is most of the times way busier. The fact that people have voted on this specific street might have to do with the performance (see blogpost: Groninger Museum) of the street. It presents itself as being one of a kind, thus people take over this opinion. Or, people go there to manifest themselves as ‘alternative’, thus the street gets an ‘alternative’ image. It stays the case that the ‘most fun’ shopping street has to fulfil the requirement of having something special (and not being mainstream). If you vote for the awards, the Herestraat and the Kalverstraat (Amsterdam) are definitely not in the race. Although I do not know if the Folkingestraat is 'most fun', I agree that it is fun and that you should definitely visit it!

- Tessa

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[1] "Groningse Folkingestraat is 'leukste straat van Nederland'," NU, accessed February 6, 2016, http://www.nu.nl/groningen/4000925/groningse-folkingestraat-leukste-winkelstraat-van-nederland.html