When he was 18, Ab Metselaar (64) opened his first stall in Hoorn under a parasol. Back then he had three racks of dressing gowns, but now – 45 years later – his stall has grown into a wide range. His market ware and charismatic presence have therefore become an integral part of the traditional street scene during the Lappenmarkt, which has made a comeback after two years of absence.
Early this morning – at 06:00 – the Metselaar family was already standing on the Stationsweg to sell the range to the public. What is striking about the stall are the yellow signs with the dirt cheap prices. Ab is happy that he and his son Tim and wife Anneke are back at the Lappenmarkt after two years of absence, but sees that it is different from previous years.
“Those two years of corona have not done any good,” says the entrepreneur. “People have to rediscover the market again, but it is slowly starting to fill up again, luckily.” The entrepreneur finds it a pity that the markets have suffered so much from the policy in recent years. “The public thinks it is very important to be able to have a chat with us. Yes, I really missed that!”
Experience
With his more than 45 years of experience, Ab has seen just about everything a market person can experience. His son Tim has taken over the business for four years, but Ab is not yet completely letting go. “I still help and keep an eye on things,” he laughs. “Isn’t this the most beautiful thing there is?”, Ab shouts, when he helps a customer pick out a dress.
The father admires his son, who took drastic steps during the corona period to keep the business going. “I don’t like web shops myself,” concludes Ab. “But my son set it up during the corona period and it is now running like a charm.”
Take over
Ab (64) is now enjoying his freedom more and regularly takes long walks with his wife. In the past, the couple ran about 11 markets a week at the peak and worked an average of 70 hours a week. “The new generation has taken over the business, because I thought it was enough. But I still show my face here every year,” Ab admits.
His son Tim didn’t have to think twice about taking over his dad’s business. “I used to go with my father on Saturdays and I’ve always said I wanted to take over the business.”
Tim hopes, just like his father, to stick to it for another 45 years: “It would be nice”, Ab’s son laughs. “We are on our way, but we still have a long way to go.”