Lambiek is a Dutch comic book store and art gallery located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded on 8 November 1968 by Kees Kousemaker, it is recognised as the oldest continuously operating comics store in Europe and the oldest surviving comics retailer worldwide.
The shop originally occupied premises on Kerkstraat until November 2015, when it relocated to Koningsstraat 27. Its name derives from a misspelling of “Lambik”, a character from the Belgian comic series Suske & Wiske; the shop’s logo incorporates an image from the Prinses Zagemeel album of that series.
Beyond retail, Lambiek has played a significant role in the promotion of comic art. From 1973 onward it hosted exhibitions and book signings featuring notable creators such as Robert Crumb, Will Eisner, André Franquin, Joost Swarte, Charles Burns, Chris Ware, Daniel Clowes, François Avril, and Art Spiegelman.
Since 1 November 1999 Lambiek has maintained the “Comiclopedia”, an online encyclopedia that provides biographical entries for more than 14 000 comic‑book authors from around the world.
Key milestones and recognitions include:
- 1979 – Kees Kousemaker received the Zilveren Dolfijn Award.
- 1995 – Kousemaker was honoured with the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award.
- 2006 – He was awarded the Order of Orange‑Nassau for his contributions to comic‑book history.
Following Kousemaker’s death in 2010, ownership passed to his son Boris Kousemaker (2007–present). The store continues to operate as a cultural hub for comic enthusiasts, preserving both commercial and archival aspects of the medium.