All equipment has been thoroughly cleaned, the furniture and wallpaper have been ordered and the three have now also decided on the name. Grandma Truida van der Weide (77), daughter-in-law Sylvia Barros da Costa (47) and granddaughter Tricia van der Weide (23) are starting a brand new civil business on the Minister Kanstraat in Emmen.
Lady’s Burger is to be called the new tent and it is intended that the doors will open on 1 October. “Work on the shop,” says Tricia with a big smile on her face.
Decades of hospitality experience
The family is no stranger to the hospitality and snack bar world. Truida started in 1990 with Charlie in Emmen and founded several businesses that were later sold. In 2014 she starts with Burger Queen in Assen. A few years later, her daughter-in-law Sylvia opens a branch of Burger Queen in Emmen, in the building where the three ladies will now start Lady’s Burger.
“Due to circumstances, it had to be sold in 2019. Then it was sold to a Chinese woman. Sylvia came to work for me in the business in Assen,” says Truida. “Tricia also helped a lot. That was really nice. We also organized everything. We baked kneecaps with old and new. Old Dutch weeks with old furniture in the store and stews. The old people loved that. we’re going to do it here soon.”
‘Opportunity passed by’
The business in Assen was sold last year. “I thought: yes, I don’t have eternal life either. With a view to the future. There is nothing wrong with my health, I just feel like a young dog. But this opportunity passed by,” explains Truida. “Sylvia and Tricia did not want to take over the business in Assen.”
“That mainly has to do with the distance,” explains granddaughter Tricia. “It’s every time up and down to Emmen. That’s well over half an hour anyway.”
Truida started itching again to set up something new. “Yeah, then you’re at home, huh. You can clean up things and do things that you don’t get to do otherwise. But then we talked about starting something new.”
Truida preferred to start a milkshake shop, but the other two ladies were not interested in that. “I could already imagine it: with fifteen different flavors of milkshakes. Working with fresh fruit. I had also seen something like this in The Hague.”
Anyway, back to the citizens. “I heard that the owner who bought it from Sylvia at the time did want to get rid of it and then I bought it again,” says Truida. “The intention is that Sylvia and Tricia will eventually run it, so that I can retire eventually. But I still like the work.”
‘Grandma of the Street’
Lady’s Burger is to be a luxurious, cozy snack bar, in the colors violet, green, gold and orange. “And various burgers and fries specialities,” says Truida. “Hygiene is of paramount importance to us, as is responsible frying. We also want to offer gluten-free products. That is also important to us. That there is something for everyone.”
“We’re really looking forward to it,” says Tricia, who is apprenticed to grandma. “It’s a really fun challenge and we’re confident about it.”
“And grandma is off the street again,” Truida laughs.