Piet Heinstraat is one of my favourite streets in the city — lovely cafés, restaurants and stores line it, and you could easily spend half a day exploring it all. One of the most charming spaces there is, And Concept Store.
Run by Bénédicte Cador-Robinot, originally from Paris, the store has quietly been part of the neighbourhood for three years now. She brings her French eye for beautiful things to The Hague, both through her own handmade jewellery and a store filled with gorgeous finds.
Walk in and you’ll understand immediately why people lose track of time here. The store brings together artists from around the world, and every single piece is handmade: clothing, scarves, candles, jewellery, trinkets, the kind of gifts that feel personal rather than generic. It’s the sort of shop where you go in looking for one thing and leave half an hour later with three, all of them for people you love.
But what I really want to tell you about is the workshop I joined.
I sat down one Tuesday evening to make a pair of earrings using glass Miyuki beads, those tiny, jewel-toned Japanese beads that catch the light in a way that photographs never quite capture. There was no rush, no pressure to get it right the first time, just the quiet, repetitive motion of threading bead after bead while conversation drifted easily around the table.
It struck me, somewhere in the middle of it, how rare that kind of stillness has become. We fill our days with screens and speed, and here was a room full of people choosing instead to make something slowly, with their hands. It felt less like a craft class and more like a small meditation, the kind where you finish not just with a finished pair of earrings, but with your mind a little quieter than when you sat down.
The rising popularity of analog hobbies says a lot about what we’re all craving right now: fewer screens, less doomscrolling, more time spent actually making something with our hands.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to visit And Concept Store, let this be it, and mark your calendar for something extra special while you’re there. On 26 November, the store is hosting Pink Christmas, an evening of drinks and festive cheer to welcome the season in style. It’s the perfect excuse to start your holiday shopping somewhere that actually feels like a gift in itself.
So next time you’re wandering Piet Heinstraat, step inside. Browse slowly, pick up more than you planned to, and if you get the chance, sign up for a workshop. You might just leave with something you made yourself, and a little more stillness than you walked in with.
And Concept Store is open Tuesday – Sundays on Piet Heinstraat 92A with workshops on Tuesday evenings and one Saturday a month— follow them on Instagram for more details
Do you have a story about your own space in the city? Reach out to sherika@thehagueonline.com to possibly be featured.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
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