Lompensenteret
Once a cloakroom, café, and laundry for the local coal miners after work, the central Lompensenteret has undergone a complete transformation. Retaining its name only (the miners' work uniforms were called lomp), the building is now home to souvenir shops, adventure stores, boutiques, cafés, and a pub. Call into Gullgruva for polar bear– or aurora-inspired jewelry, Frost Spitsbergen for Arctic-friendly blouses and dresses, and Artica for a brand-new puffer jacket. As there's no value-added tax in Svalbard, many items can work out cheaper here than on mainland Norway.
