The Dutch Store

The Kielstra family has owned The Dutch Store since 1983, when they bought a small business that was selling cheese and a few other items from Holland. “I always enjoyed it because I was born in the Netherlands,” says company president Hessel Kielstra. “We just expanded it as we went over the years.” The Dutch Store continues to expand, now offering an online store so ex-pats and those who love all things Dutch can get what they need from anywhere in the country.

Historically, Calgary has always had a significant Dutch population.  Each new generation that arrives enjoys the pick of licorice, cheese and other specialities.  The Dutch Store is a destination shop for second or third generation Dutch-Canadians, as well. “What we found over the years is a lot of the Dutch immigrants from the 1950s and 1960s, their kids and grandkids are coming back for those things they remember from Grandma’s house and what mom used to cook for them,” says Julie Vanden Heuvel, Hessel's daughter and store manager. “There are a lot of people who may not be tied as closely to Dutch foods as they were in the past, but they do have the memory of different things they’ve experienced, and are looking to re-experience.”