Frans Bauer will have to get his fries with mayonnaise and satay sauce elsewhere from October 1, because the singer’s favorite snack bar is closing. Ad and Josien van Nispen from ‘t Nippeltje in Ulvenhout are quitting because 69-year-old Ad has a new job. From now on he will sticker electric charging stations. A career change that affects the entire village, because ‘t Nippeltje is the only chip shop there.
Yes, he will miss his chip shop very much. Ad van Nispen does not beat around the bush. And especially the interaction with customers. “We have always had a lot of fun here,” he says. “Sometimes the smile is missing and we can easily see through that. When customers ask me what is tasty, I say that there is nothing tasty to eat here. That it is all way too greasy and that they should not eat fries, haha. We make fun of things a bit and then the smile comes naturally.”
“Frying fries is fun, but stickering electric charging stations gives me more peace of mind.”
That will change on October 1, because after almost twenty years the chip shop in the Dorpsstraat of Ulvenhout will close. A bit out of necessity, because the equipment needs to be replaced and a significant investment is no longer worthwhile. “You start thinking and then you realize that you are at an age when you should actually be retired,” said 69-year-old Ad about the closure.
He may stop making fries, but ‘de Nippel’, a nickname he got at school, has not really retired yet. From now on, Ad will help his son, who is co-owner of a successful company in electric charging stations. He stickers them and prepares them for shipping. It provides some extra financial scope and he likes it. “It makes a world of difference, but I can do this at my leisure and whenever I feel like it. Baking chips is fun, but stickers give me more peace of mind. And my son says he needs me.”
The customers of the chip shop will miss him. The best known of these is singer Frans Bauer. “He comes a little less often than he used to, but we are still in touch,” says Ad. “He always wants fries with mayonnaise and satay sauce. Is he losing weight again? Then he would indeed be better off not eating fries, but a lot of lettuce. That won’t be easy, because he is quite a Burgundian. From now on he has to go somewhere.” somewhere else, haha.”
“I’m already used to it, but of course I’m going to miss everyone.”
Other enthusiasts will also have to get their ‘fat mouthful’ elsewhere after October 1. Outside Ulvenhout, because ‘t Nippeltje is the only chip shop in the village. “It’s a shame,” says a lady who has just ordered everything. “It’s always fun here and the fries are tasty. I come here every week and now I have to go to Breda from now on.”
Ad van Nispen finds the decision particularly unfortunate for his 70-year-old wife Josien. She also shared joys and sorrows with the customers. “It’s a shame,” says Josien, who prefers to stay in the background. “And we actually made the decision a year ago. I’m already used to it, but of course I’m going to miss everyone.”
