The volunteers behind Museum Brewery De Roos in Hilvarenbeek have one big dream: buying the brewery next to the museum. That opportunity now exists, but there must be enough money. And some haste is required.
Buying the brewery home is really ‘a unique opportunity’, says volunteer Suzanne Albregts. The house is located right next to the museum. If it also becomes part of the museum, the 130 volunteers can merge the brewery, the house and the intermediate courtyard into one whole.
The result: one large continuous exhibition space. “The family that now lives in the house is the eleventh generation of the family that started the brewery,” says Albregts. “We can therefore use their site a lot, but they are now selling it.”
In addition, there are still many items in storage that the foundation would like to exhibit and, according to the foundation, the brewer’s house belongs to the brewery. Enough reasons to buy it.
How do they raise the money?
But that’s not the point yet. First, the volunteers of the De Roos Museum Brewery Foundation must raise enough money. That’s why the volunteers are a crowdfunding started. The target amount: 50,000 euros.
“That amount is intended for start-up costs, such as for the architect and for the permits,” Albregts explains. The purchase price of the house is 1.2 million euros. The foundation wants to raise that amount through subsidies and possibly a loan.
There are also plenty of other plans, such as moving the museum entrance to the house, a small terrace at the front of the building and making the tasting room accessible to everyone.
When should the money arrive?
The purchase must be made quite quickly. The current residents are happy to contribute ideas, but have received a permit to start building their new home and now want to sell their current home.
“We have been working on this process for four years, but it has now accelerated,” says Albregts. “We want to buy the house this year. Next year we want to get the house in order so that it can be opened to the public.”
The collection count now stands at approximately five thousand euros. The volunteer hopes that many more people will donate. “This is really one once in a lifetime-chance. We are just very proud. This is the only still working village brewery in the Netherlands. It would be great if we could make it even more beautiful.”