The house of Harm Groenwold in Nieuw-Weerdinge can be recognized in the wider circumference. Not so much about the house, but on the large Lidl board that is next to it. While there is no supermarket of this chain at all in the village.
Every day when Harm opens the curtains of his house on the Siepelveenwijk Zuidzijde, the yellow-blue colossus appears. The six -meter high pole is right next to the barn, where its earthmoving company is located.
“It is really a landmark in the neighborhood for people,” says Groenwold. From the Pottendijk roundabout, on the road between Ter Apel and Emmen, the board is clearly visible. “Then they see that board and then they know that they must have this turn.”
The pole was proverbially thrown into the lap six years ago. At the time, he helped his company with the construction of a new supermarket on the Noordbargerweg in Emmen.
“Then that plate remained and the contractor asked if we wanted it.” Groenwold did not hesitate and arranged special transport for the Beton block on which the pole rests. The pole itself was picked up with a long trailer.
And since then the pole attracts enough attention. “Cyclists and cars regularly came by who thought there was a supermarket. They were a bit disappointed.”
People from the Lidl themselves were also on the doorstep twice. The first time a supermarket employee happened to see the board when he rode the N391 from Ter Apel. He turned around and called at Groenwold. “But when I asked what the problem was, he didn’t really know. Then he drove on again.”
Half a year later, someone from Lidl came by again. “He wanted to arrange that the pole was picked up.” Groenwold promised to remove the letters, provided that the pole could remain.
After six years, Groenwold has not had enough of the post next to his house. “He is not necessarily beautiful, no. But we keep him as a landmark. I get so many nice reactions. That just has to stay.”