Second-hand shop hidden in St. Catherine’s Church is in danger of closing (Antwerp)

If you walk through Kiel Park, you might miss a hidden gem: the modest second-hand shop housed in the centuries-old St. Catherine’s Church. The vest is so well hidden that it is in danger of closing.

‘t Vestje is kept running by the church community, which contributes on a voluntary basis. The proceeds from ‘t Vestje benefit the St. Catherine’s Church to cover the costs of electricity, services and maintenance.

But those returns are not enough. The church is in poor condition: it leaks when it rains and due to inadequate electricity, lamps regularly fail. The believers are not discouraged by this and do everything they can to make the best of it. They do their best to raise money, sell clothes and keep the church in the best possible condition, despite the circumstances.

The chapel at the church is still used for weekly services. There will be an international community, consisting of Belgians, Ecuadorians, Portuguese, Venezuelans and many others. To make the services as inclusive as possible, they are organized in both Dutch and Spanish.

Salomé Dos Santos, better known as Blu Samu, is a Portuguese-Belgian singer whose mother Filomena is active in the church. The singer posted a call on TikTok to save ‘t Vestje, which resulted in more than fifty thousand views. Since the video was published, hope has arisen. “We have received more customers thanks to the video,” said the volunteers.

The church community is curious about the future of ‘t Vestje and St. Catherine’s Church. Rebecca Van Remoortere, spokesperson for Alderman for Social Affairs Tatjana Scheck (Vooruit): “There are still ongoing discussions about repurposing the church, and they are going well.”

You can find ‘t Vestje in the side portal of the church in Auguste Oleffestraat. The store is open every Monday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.