Butcher shop Zeegers in Oss will close its doors on Saturday. The corona pandemic, high energy bills and now inflation have become the final blow for the family business. There is no money to renew the store and to continue, so butcher Dennis Zeegers throws in the towel.
It is with a heavy heart that he has made the decision to stop, says butcher Dennis. “My father founded the company in 1980 and we have a good reputation in Oss. Then it is a great pity to have to stop, that hurts a lot”.
Dennis calls the last week bizarre: “Suddenly a lot of customers are coming.” After a Facebook message about the closure, he received a tsunami of reactions from people who regret the end of the business.
“We can’t even get the shelves stocked, it’s that busy right now. Many customers still want to taste our old recipes. That also gives a warm feeling. Customers bring flowers, they send letters and someone came with chocolates for the staff.”
“Some courses were suddenly no longer filled.”
On the last Wednesday of the case, nothing seems to be wrong. The freshly prepared meals fly out the door and customers walk in and out. But appearances are deceiving. For example, the store is in dire need of renovation, but the bank does not want to finance that.
A woman who has been a regular customer from the start offers Dennis a plant and thinks it’s a great pity that the butcher’s shop is closing. “I’ve been coming here for 41 years, when I came to live here. I mainly come for the fresh meals, such as bami and fried rice. I think it’s really bad, but I was already afraid because of the high energy prices. Some courses were suddenly not more filled.”
“Saturday will be very tough.”
After corona and the expensive energy, inflation was also added. That has had a significant impact, says Dennis. “What we notice is that there were suddenly 250 to 300 fewer customers per week. That of course makes a huge difference in turnover. Then you are left with the customers who have a little more to spend, but in the end that is not enough.”
The door will be locked for good on Saturday, a difficult moment for Dennis: “That will be a very emotional moment, I’m afraid. We’ll try to make it a bit of a fun and festive day. It will be a very double day. is already emotional, so Saturday will be very tough. Shedding a tear, that will probably be part of it.”
He does not yet know what Dennis will do next. For now, he is still processing the closure.