Arche Brockenhaus - full review

As I saw it, 4 July 2014

Don't you just hate it (and love it - complete ambivalence!) when you just happen to be in the area which is right next to a Brocki?

I go through this internal struggle each time:

• Is it wrong to just stop in? I mean, that would just be giving into temptation. I don't actually need anything....
• But would it be foolish not to? I could get my thrift store fix now, save on another ZVV ticket, and save time since it would be so efficient since I'm already here....
• If you don't go often to thrift stores, you reduce your chances of finding something of interest. So it stands to reason that I should pop in - who knows what's waiting on the shelves right now?!
• I have a blog to maintain, and I might not have reviewed this store (or reviewed it properly).... and if I have, current and up-to-date information is what people want - I owe it to my public to report on what's happening now! ;)

(As if I have a public, ha! English-speaking thrift-a-holics in Zürich don't seem to follow my website much! Maybe they're fairly self-sufficient people to begin with (living in a foreign country and not being native speakers of the language spoken here), or maybe they don't yet know the joys of thrifting blogs. Maybe I'm the only person in this city who is native-English speaking, and a thrift-nut, and a lover of blogs dedicated to thrifting... In a Venn diagram, it's just me sitting at that triple intersection, right? So I'm my own audience! Swell.)

Ah well, nevermind! I enjoy blogging, so if you're benefiting, then great! :)

I just happened to be a few blocks away from the Arche Brockenhaus yesterday. I was tired and carrying all my groceries, but in the end temptation and curiosity won out.
 

Next door, is this. I don't know what this is, but it seems to keep away the sort of old folks one gets fed up with when one is a serial thrifter. ;) Nice. Has a sort of pirate-y vibe, doesn't it? I like that - fits with the 'treasure hunting' thrifting mentality! Great landmark from a bus window, too!

Through the breezeway, past the bistro (the bistro was nice looking, but wasn't so cheap that I wanted to eat there - reasonable for our city, though, and frequented by suits from the office buildings next door).

My Canadian roots love the canoe. ;)

Friendly, helpful staff. :)

Arche Brockenhaus (or "Arche Bröko-Zentrum" on Google Maps!) is a charity shop, raising money for Arche Zürich who conduct social programs to help those with addiction and mental illness re-enter the workforce. They also work with children and various 'integration' out-reach programs. Brilliant. :) 

Check out the glass cabinets at the top of the stairs for the more 'valuable' items

Still not brave enough to try this. You have to clamber over the rail just to get on! :S

I have reviewed the Arche Brockenhaus before, so please also read the blurb in my previous post for all the information (scroll down for the mini-reviews). As always, here are the Pros, Cons and Strategies for Arche Brockenhaus:


PROS:

• The least annoying clientele of any brocki in the city (actually, Tigel's pretty good that way, too - we'll call it a tie). On a Friday afternoon, there was a pleasing range of customers, only one of which bothered me (pervy old man watching me try on clothes over my existing clothing). But everyone else was cool and eclectic and interesting and fun! (Steep stairs to upper floor might keep out some of the older people - I hate to say that this is a pro, but I'm in my 30s and it kind of is!)
• 'Scary' looking neighbourhood might keep away creepy old people (I hate to say that too, but it is nice to have a bit of a filter for a change! Nice to see another demographic!)
• Has two change rooms with mirrors, and I've never had to wait to use them. 
• Takes plastic as well as cash. 
• Airy, spacious and not too dusty & musty (but with all the perks of a 'dusty & musty' brocki - same selection, same opportunity to 'dig' around)
• Is the sort of place you can hang out at (i.e. sit in the 'audio cafe' downstairs and just chill), and the sort of people who do are interesting and not overly creepy.
• You can safely buy used and even vintage electronics and appliances here - not only will they give you a WARRANTY for anything they sell from this department, they also have a handyman on site who can repair your malfunctioning machines! This is the only thrift store I know of anywhere that offers this - what a big perk!!!
• Great selection of just about everything - lots of floor space. I bought my snowboarding pants here, and suspenders to keep them up, too!
• Always has full sets of tea services (nice ones, too!)
• Has some tempting trinkets in the glass cabinets by the stairs - I love browsing these!
• IMHO, the best selection and prices for furniture in all of the city. Seriously - I want to buy stuff here even though I have nowhere to put it. There was a little rustic stool I should have bought but didn't. What was I thinking? Why exercise restraint?! ;)
• Nice staff (always - haven't found a single exception yet!).
• Prices are reasonable (about the same as the HeilsArmee for clothes, for example), and really good for furniture.
• Has some really interesting items (quite often!) - this time a very old petrol pump! :O
• Has a giant slide you are allowed to use!

 

A good reminder of effective thrifting strategies - LOOK UP (bikes!)

CONS:

• Giant slide is too scary to use. :S This makes me sad. Maybe I'll get braver.
• Not particularly close to anything (between the Letzipark and Altstetten). I was at Lindenplatz (the Neumarkt with the big Migros), so it was a shortish walk from there. But there's nothing but office buildings and gas stations immediately nearby.
• Selection of clothing is somewhat limited, though they always seem to have a fair bit of shoes on offer. I've scored some here before!
• Prices can be higher than you'd like (though usually they're reasonable). I wanted this sweet retro bag (just a simple tote), but at 10 CHF, I couldn't justify it (didn't need it - just wanted it!). 5 would have done it, probably! 4 for sure.

Interesting clientele. ;) I like that. More fun than sad, demented old folks. :(

  
STRATEGIES:

• There is competition for the women's clothing for sure, so arrive early in the day if you're on a mission!
• I personally head upstairs first, because I'm usually not in the market for furniture, appliances, or music. But I do make sure to check out the ground floor every time - it's always interesting (retro hair dryers from the 70s, 80s geometrical chairs, interesting people grooving in the music lounge!).
• Make sure you look into each one of the 'cubby holes' (the boxy shelves) holding the tea services and curios along the wall - there are small paintings and other decorative items in there amongst the knick-knacks. 

They have some great kitsch kitchen stuff here!

I wanted these cups and saucers!

Look at all the matched tea sets! So great!

A visual example of my last 'strategy' - look in the cubby holes! Red jelly molds and some very interesting artwork that I wouldn't have normally noticed if I had just 'skipped' the tea service section! (Thrifting tip I've repeated before: CHECK EVERYWHERE!)

Large selection of books, and nicely arranged too. Check out this area even if you don't want books (remember: check every section!) - there's lots of art here, too!

Really wanted the printed tote, but not at 10 CHF.

It's nice to have other sub-50 people in the shop for a change! ;)

A few more photos for your interest:

The cafe and music area near the front entrance

All of these retro, normally risky appliances come with WARRANTIES and there's a repair-service offered by Arche Brockenhaus!!! That is truly amazing - I've never heard of this perk at any thrift store, at home in North America or here in Europe. Fantastic!

I have a friend or two that would really enjoy perusing these! ;) Vintage cameras just piss me off, personally - I'm all for digital technology (can you tell I have zero photography skillz?! Ha ha!)

Computers with spec sheets, too. Marvelous!

This rotary phone had a price tag of 50 Fr.

Loved this little retro fan!

Seriously - warranties! I can't get over that! It's a thrifter's dream!

I have this thing for old wooden wood-working tools. Really tempted to redecorate with saws.

Amazing range of interesting vintage furniture here!

If I was refurnishing a house, I'd come straight here!

I love the music-bar in here - the atmosphere is so inviting, and the tunes they're spinning are usually always agreeable! The people seem cool and chill, too. I think I've been put off recently by 'problematic' thrifters (usually old, but as I learned from my trip to Buelach, some quite young!). It can be really exhausting to have to 'shop around' strange people. I like Arche - it just feels so different! A breath of fresh air!

I was so excited to see people around my age that I had to take a photo! XD

Not only did I think these chairs could be awesome in the right apartment, the shorter one (foreground) cost 5 Fr.! FIVE FRANKS! The other was just 15! That's 20 for two stylish bar stools - Arche is amazing!!!!

Still not brave enough to try the slide. :(

So that's Arche Brockenhaus in a nutshell! Best of luck on your trip there!

TiZ