HEMA Amsterdam-Kinkerstraat

I just had the most unexpected and amazing experience at this store, so I gotta share. I've been shopping at this HEMA location for probably 15 years. When I first arrived in NL without a NL bank account, this was one of the only places where I could buy food with a credit card. I feel a deep affection for rookworst to this day. Recently, I was at this HEMA to return some things I ordered. I used my little handcart to bring the items to the store. I returned them, folded up my cart, set it aside, put on my backpack...and promptly forgot my handcart in the store. I got home and about 7pm - after they had closed - and I realized I had left my handcart there. I was so upset at myself. I've been so stressed lately, which makes me forget things, and to then leave my nice 40 euro handcart at HEMA makes me worry that next thing you know, I'll be leaving the gas stove on, forgetting I have a cat, and calling my Dutch boyfriend by another name, such as "Susan" . Next morning, I show up around 9am. I was just hoping it was still there. Nope. They checked. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. I was sad. Like deeply sad. Like unreasonably sad because, come on, it's a 40 euro cart. Stuff happens, right? So I did what any normal person would do: I bought the exact same cart again on Bol.com. To be delivered the next day. To fill the hole in my heart which only this handcart could fill, because my boyfriend Susan surely wasn't helping. Then a few days later, Susan and I happened to be walking by the HEMA store, and he said, "Hey, maybe they found your cart? You should ask." So I went to customer service to ask. This time, someone knew what I was talking about! Apparently everyone who worked at HEMA knew about this lost cart! Soon, a 4-5 person posse was HUNTING the store for my cart saying, "WE KNOW ITS HERE. WE SAW IT!!!" Wow, guys, it's a hand cart. It's okay. Really. And it's my fault. I left it at your store because clearly I have some mental defect which should be addressed with therapy and/or medication. But they would not give up. We were there 15 minutes and it was closing time and I was feeling a bit guilty and so I said, "Here's my name and number, if you find it, call me, if not all good." Then as we were leaving, the store manager came over and said, "I am so sorry we lost your cart. I feel very guilty. We will call you Monday because the employee we think knows where it is will be back then." He really did feel bad - I could see the look on his face. And I felt bad that he felt bad because again, my fault. So comes Monday, I get a call from Justin from HEMA. He tells me that the employee that they thought knew where the cart was isn't in and we needed to wait another day. Sure, cool. Justin then calls me the next day, and says, "Okay, he's here but it's not where he thought it was, we are so very sorry, and we want to give you money to replace it." "What? That's very nice, but it's MY fault. I left it at your store. I am the idiot who made the mistake, not you!" "Yes, but we're the idiots that lost it." I about cried. I dunno why. Maybe because we live in a world where no one owns up to their mistakes. Maybe because everything feels unstable and unsafe. Maybe because you wonder if we're all getting replaced by AI and soon there wouldn't even be people with whom we can interact. I dunno. But it hit me emotionally. And the thing is, they had done nothing wrong, but they were taking ownership like it was their problem. I told Justin, "Well, I'd be more than happy to take a HEMA gift card - I shop there all the time!" 1 hour later, I was at HEMA, picking up some new socks, and Justin handed me the new gift card covering the cost of handcart. So I thanked him, got my socks, and left the store before I really started crying. Dutch can be some of the kindest people around, but they sure don't want to see you cry in the HEMA. Thank you, HEMA. You've restored my faith in humanity for at least another 2-3 months. And I will always love your rookworst.

I love the HEMA! Maar.... wat is er met jullie tompoucen gebeurd??? Smaakt ineens hardstikke chemisch! 😫

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