Thrifting in Zürich: Blaues Kreuz Brocki Bülach

Today I visited a friend in Bülach, and while I was there I stopped by the local Brocki. (Of course, right?!). ;)

This is one impressive Brockenhaus. It has proper antiques, in all price ranges, and an eclectic but useful range of items.

Apothecary jars?! These would NOT last if they were sold downtown!

I don't know what the glass jars are to the left, but they look as though they should hang from the wall! I wanted them! :) I didn't buy them, though - good news for you, maybe! ;)

Awesome sofa!!!! Me want!

Want an antique washboard or two-person saw? How about some expensive collectable figurines? Or maybe, like me, you're just looking for practical around-the-house things?

Maybe you have a thing for old rotary phones, persian rugs, antique wooden cookie molds, or vintage record-players. Or maybe you really want Aladdin's lamp, or a kerosene lamp, or a small, ruffled table lamp from the late 1960s. If so, then you might consider making a trek northwards to visit this brocki!

It is quite far from Zürich, but if you're headed out that way, or you have a car and want to make a short trip out of town, I can recommend the Brocki Bülach for just about anything, with the notable exception of women's clothing (unless you're looking for something 'collectable' as opposed to 'wearable', though even then it's slim pickings!).

I was quite impressed with their handwork section (there was more craft supplies (beads, kits, flower presses, etc.) on the first floor as well).

This Brocki supports the Blue Cross, an organization for helping people and families adversely affected by alcoholism. Sadly, this is an important cause since alcohol abuse really does hurt more than just the person with the primary problem. So spend money here gladly! :)

A large selection of purses and bags

Wanted an excuse to buy the girl's dirndl, and half a dozen straw bags, too!

There are lots of levels in the back - check them all!

I wanted the red boots, but they were a little too big. Cute, though!

An impressive selection of shoes!

If ever you wanted a house-shaped curios shelf, or a printer's drawer....this is the place! (Above is the storage for earrings and small jewelry - a very nicely organized brocki indeed!)

Want the straight goods?! Then here they are - the Pros, Cons and Tips!

Pros:

Large Brocki with a wide selection of goods - multiple floors!
Antiques (furniture, miniatures, etc.) and 'cultural' items from Switzerland (cow bells, horns, old postcards, etc.). Lots of dolls and teddy bears, too.
Large kids sections (clothes, toys, games) throughout the store
Tidy, bright and very nicely decorated and organized
Has a helpful website
Lots of shoes (lots and lots!)
Good selection of knitting needles and wool, and other craft items (several dedicated sections)
Large staff, working hard (older ladies, mostly - possibly volunteers). I saw mannequins get dressed while I was there and new items being brought out, 1/2 hour before closing. Lady at check-out was kind and wrapped my small breakable items, 'just in case'.
English-speaking staff (at least one, anyway), though I'm pleased to say it wasn't me that relied upon this service! ;)
Large parking lot, which is good, because it's a long way from Zürich!

Cons:

Lacklustre selection of women's clothing (though the men's wasn't bad, I must say) with the exception of jeans and pants! LOTS of bottoms, but few 'viable' tops! And not many skirts or casual dresses, either (though lots of 'formal' dresses, some of which were frighteningly 80s! So if you're into shoulder pads, consider this a "pro"!)
Prices are fairly high (though I expected them to be the same or cheaper than in Zürich, since the retail rent would be so much less!)... though still very reasonable. I didn't find anything that was "SO CHEAP!" that I could advertise it here as a "pro". Some shirts (i.e. a plaid button-up ladies' shirt - fairly typical) cost 7 Fr., and I didn't see much that tempted me.
Website advertised that TODAY was the FIRST DAY of the ANNUAL LINEN SALE (white cottons, etc.), but there was only one small corner (very small) dedicated to this department, hidden in the ladies' clothing section, and no sale signs or any suggestion that the event was actually taking place... so that was disappointing (I was looking forward to a new tablecloth!). Hmm. Bit of a disconnect between the store and the webmaster, methinks!
Wayyyyyy out in Bülach, and a fair walk to/from the bahnhof, too (though there is a bus stop outside the store. I'm too impatient for that, though!).
Still had annoying people in it - a couple of pervy guys, and some young brocki bi-otch who literally pushed me off a shelf. She was a little demanding to the staff, too (in English), so I'm going to chalk her up to a case of (undiagnosed?) mental illness. She was glaring at me when I entered the store, so who knows what her beef was. I will note that she was the only other female of my demographic, so maybe she wasn't welcoming of the 'competition'. I was surprised to be physically pushed in Bülach, but maybe the suburbs are more dangerous than the cities?! ;)

Another tip - save $ on your phone's data plan by printing out a map of the area before you go. This is what I do when visiting a brocki for the first time! It also really helps if you get lost and need to ask for help - someone can simply point at the map for you (try getting an old lady to peer at your smart phone and give you directions off that!). You also don't need to worry about a strong signal this way, either.

Strategies:

Don't make a dedicated trip out here (unless you're a collector and something in my photos has you going ga-ga!) - it's a long way to go for a brocki, and I would say that though I like this brocki slightly better, it's really not too different from HIOB in Affoltern in terms of selection and pricing (though the Bülach Brocki does have some more valuable and interesting antiques).
Opening hours are in the afternoon only (13:30 to 18:00), and only from Tuesday to Saturday (though on Saturday it is open from 09:00 to 16:00).
It is CLOSED for the 'summer pause' from the 20 of July until the 11 of August! So please take note before you drive out there!
There is a website, but I found it wasn't especially representative of the store itself (i.e. the 'annual whites sale' of linen and things that apparently started today... but there was no suggestion of it in the store, and there wasn't much in the way of 'linens' to sell, either!) :S But better this than no website - and it gives important information (such as the summer closure!), so do make sure you take a peek!

The Ikea wicker boxes cost 8 Fr. each. They retail for 15, so I'm not sure they're priced low enough to get them moving.

It wasn't picturesque, but in this region they also had a dedicated 'gardening room', which I thought was a nice touch.

I think doll and teddy collectors would really appreciate this brocki.

I bought the twiggy one in the bottom right to organize my jewelry. Works great!

There was patio furniture and outdoor playthings outside (as well as some randomly assorted clothing, though I didn't fully understand why).

I can say that I was quite impressed with the cleanliness of the store and the presentation of the wares. And the selection, too! I mean, where else do you see a whole shelving unit of apothecary jars and sexually-explicit Japanese carvings?! ;)