Amsterdam honors Bulldog coffeeshop, bar owner for helping less fortunate

Henk de Vries, founder of Amsterdam’s The Bulldog coffeeshop, was honored with a municipal award for his long-standing efforts to support the city’s underprivileged. He received the Andreas Medal on Tuesday as part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of his business.

In the early 1970s, De Vries took over his father’s sex shop and began distributing cannabis for free as a safer alternative for heroin addicts. In 1975, he started selling cannabis commercially and named the business The Bulldog after his dog. The brand eventually grew into an internationally renowned chain.

“De Vries vowed to Major Bosshardt, whom he regarded as his ‘second mother,’ that once he earned enough money, he would dedicate it to helping society’s most vulnerable. He has fulfilled that promise,” the municipality said in a statement regarding the award. Bosshardt, who died in 2007 at age 94, was known for her charitable work with the Salvation Army.

De Vries began his charitable work by donating clothing to the Salvation Army. Over time, his support expanded to organizing outings, cooking evenings, and distributing festive food parcels at Easter and Christmas. He also helps fund Christmas dinners for homeless and vulnerably housed individuals at the Koepelkerk.

The medal, handed out by Deputy Mayor Melanie van der Horst, honors individuals “who have achieved outstanding results in social, cultural, civic, or economic areas for Amsterdam with national significance, as well as those who have dedicated at least ten years of volunteer work to a social cause.”