Shopping in Brussels

General shop opening hours

Most shops open from 09.00 to 18.00, but this varies according to the type of business. Bakeries and snack bars open earlier (around 07.00) while clothes shops open later (around 10.00). In some villages outside Brussels, shops may be closed over lunchtime. There are some late night and weekend shopping times before Christmas in most popular shopping areas of Brussels.

Supermarkets

The supermarkets that you can find in Brussels are: CARREFOUR, COLRUYT, GB contact, DELHAIZE, LIDL, ALDI, CITY DELHAIZE. Most of them have their own brand products and these tend to be cheaper. Lidl and Aldi have the cheapest options but they don't offer normal brand products and the selection of products available is limited and changes every day.

Fruit and vegetable markets

The main fruit and vegetable markets are:

  • Ixelles ponds (daily except Monday) large market on weekends at Av. Général de Gaule
  • Place du Châtelain (Ixelles) (every Wednesday from 14.00 to 20.00)
  • Place Jourdan (during WE, the market is larger on Sunday)
  • Market Place Jette (every Sunday morning)
  • Gare du Midi (very large cheap market on Sunday, worth the excursion; beware of pick pockets!)
  • Anderlecht Abattoir (Fridays).

Furniture and home decoration - IKEA

IKEA is a famous cheap store for furniture, decoration and utensils for the house (kitchen as well).
In Brussels you will find one in Zaventem (by the airport), one in Ternat (near the motorway to the seaside) and one in Anderlecht.
The IKEA Anderlecht is easy to reach by Metro. You take the line 5, direction Erasmus, and get off at the station "CERIA/COOVI". You just have to walk 10 minutes and you are there. It's situated beside a Coca-Cola building. If you don't find it, just ask.
Check the schedule @ www.ikea.com/be

Sport equipment stores - Decathlon

Decathlon is a big store where you can find since sport clothes to sophisticate equipment with really good prices. To get there you have to pick the metro line 5 direction to Erasmus and get off at the Eddy Merckx station. When you get out of the metro you will see a with big letters 'Decathlon'.

Buying clothes

Most large chains have stores in Brussels. They are located around the City Centre, Rue Neuve, home to City 2 (Metro Rogier or De Brouckère), or at Porte de Namur and Chaussée d'Ixelles (bus 71).You will find H&M, Zara, C&A, Springfield etc. The DOD chain (rue du Bailly, tram 81, 82 'Lesbroussart' or tram 91, 92, 93 'Bailly' and Chausée de Louvain, metro 'Madou') sells branded clothes at a discount all year round so it is worth checking it out. From the Jette campus you take the bus and go down town - the shopping centre is near the Gare du Nord or Gare Central.

Shopping malls

The shopping malls that you can find in Brussels are not that big compared to those in other countries. The main ones in and around Brussels are:

  • City 2 (metro Rogier)
  • Shopping Woluwe (Metro 1B Roodebeek)
  • Westland Shopping Centre (Metro 1B to Jacques Brel + bus 89)

The main bookshops in Brussels

  • Fnac 
    City 2 Shopping mall 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 275 11 11 
    "European department" with books in all EU languages.
  • The European Bookshop 
    Rue de la Loi, 244 1040 Brussels tel. 02 / 213 04 35 fax order: 02 / 735 08 60 
    Official agent for the publications of the EU and the Council of Europe. Many publications in English, French, Dutch, Italian and German from these two organisations, as well as lots of books about Europe,tourist guides and so on.
  • Club 
    Chain of 10 shops in and around Brussels, selling stationery and office supplies but also with a book department for adults and children. To find your nearest branch: tel. 02 / 333 06 00
  • Librairie Filigranes: Also open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. + international magazines
  • Waterstones: Boulevard A. Max, 71 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 219 27 08 English bookshop
  • Sterling Books: Rue Fossé-aux-Loups, 38 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 223 62 23 English bookshop
  • Reading Room: Avenue G. Henri, 503 1200 Brussels tel. 02 / 734 79 17 New and second-hand books in English
  • Punto y Coma: Rue Stevin, 115 a 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 648 04 40 Spanish bookshop
  • La Tienda Latina: Avenue D. Boon, 19 1160 Brussels tel. 02 / 673 34 50 Spanish bookshop
  • Libro Italiano: Chaussée de Wavre, 354 1040 Brussels tel. fax 02 / 230 06 74 A choice of books in italian.
  • Librairie "Du Monde Entier": Blvd A. Max, 110 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 223 15 21 Russian bookshop
  • Gutenberg Buchhandlung: Rue de Louvain, 34 1000 Brussels tel. 02 / 512 45 10 German bookshop

Night Shops

Most of them are downtown or near the university campuses. Avoid doing your regular shopping there because they are very expensive. Some also rent DVDs or videos and even have a small bar and fast food facilities. Most night shops open from 18.00 until 03.00.

Hairdresser

Try to go to a chain where you don't need an appointment and where they have special "student" rates, providing that you go "off peak hours" (usually NOT the weekend). 
Main chains are: Olivier Dachkin, Jean Louis David, Lawrence Kazan etc. These three chains usually have outlets in the same streets! (for example near Cimetière d'Ixelles towards ULB Solbosch campus). Plenty of African hairdressers can be found in Matongé the Congolese district of Brussels (Metro station Porte de Namur).