1/2 Joffrey’s oliebollen stall goes up in flames, but now it’s back again
A week ago, Joffrey Bierens’ oliebollen stall was set on fire. Now he has a new stall on Wagnerplein in Tilburg. “Last week we were completely in sackcloth and ashes, but yes, we can’t pay the bills with that.”
His oliebollen stall burned down completely in the night from Wednesday to Thursday last week. The police confirmed the suspicion of arson.
Joffrey had already had a tough year. A year ago, his father, 63-year-old Ad Bierens, was stabbed to death in Best. His father managed several oliebollen and pastry stalls and was well known in the national fair world. The stall last week was the last one Joffrey bought with his father.
A week after the fire, Joffrey is back. It was quite a job to arrange a new stall and inventory. “Luckily I know a lot of people and it is a small miracle that we are here again. We now have income again and I can serve my customers all kinds of delicacies again.”
Joffrey himself is not surprised that he is back on the square. “It had to be. I also feel a lot better than last week. We could just throw in the towel, but we can’t pay the bills.”
“It is our livelihood, but we are also there for the people.”
He had heart-warming reactions after the arson last week. “Phones, texts, you can’t imagine anything so crazy.” There is also a lot of traffic on Friday and it is busier than normal. One of his customers brought a craft from the old oliebollen stall. “That really means a lot to us. It is our livelihood, but we are also there for the people.”
Yet Joffrey still misses his old stall. “Everything had its place there and not all stalls are the same.” There was a memorial to his father in the old stall, but after the fire it was in a thousand pieces on the floor. “The woman who made the tile is now in hospital. Still, she assured me she will make us a new one.”
The suspect of killing Ad Bierens must appear in court on Monday. The suspect is from Best and his son is already serving a prison sentence for stabbing Joffrey’s stepbrother.
Joffrey is really dreading the lawsuit: “I just let everything happen to me. I think it will be very stressful for the whole family. It’s going to be very tough. We get to see and hear all kinds of things. Very emotional.”
“There’s simply nothing worse than what happened to my father.”
The fact that the oliebollen stall burned down last week does not make the lawsuit extra difficult, says Joffrey. “There is simply nothing worse than what happened to my father. The stall is set on fire, but replaceable. Everything is replaceable, except life. If I could use the little money I have to have my father here for another week, I would.”
He still fears another fire. “Every day I drive into the square and it is a surprise whether it is still there. Every time I see the lights, I think, fortunately it’s still there.”
THIS IS ALSO WORTH READING:
Joffrey’s oliebollen stall set on fire after a year full of threats
After a murder and fire, friends start a fundraising campaign for Joffrey