The Albert Cuypstraat is wider than the other streets because there used to be a wide 'ditch' here: the Zaagmolensloot. At the end of the 19th century, according to newspaper reports, the mills were dilapidated, the ditch was a source of stench and the new city was advancing under the influence of the industrial revolution. After a long struggle, in 1890 the last millers finally renounced their rights and the municipality proceeded to fill in the Zaagmolensloot. Since then - for more than a hundred years - there has been a daily market here, known for half a century for its colorful international products. There were many Jewish market traders until the Second World War. Immigrants from Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Morocco and Suriname found work at the Heineken brewery and this was reflected in the supply on the market, international food stores and restaurants.
Nowadays, a major change can also be seen in the supply on the market. People in the neighborhood are complaining that the market has become a lot more expensive and the offer is increasingly aimed at tourists. The market is now announced on the tram as 'famous street market'. In addition to the growth of tourism, the opening of the North-South line in mid-2018 also made the Albert Cuyp market even more popular.