In 1947, Gerard de Man and Betsie Melis started a bag shop in Tilburg. At the time, they could not have imagined that their store would grow into a household name in the city and the entire region. Three of their daughters ran the business for years, but their children do not want to take over the leather goods store. So after almost eighty years it has been decided to close the doors. “Because we have now also reached retirement age.”
Father Gerard was trained as a shoe and bag maker. He made everything himself and also did a lot of repairs. He made many school bags in the workshop that still exists today. He also sold leather goods at the market. Wife Betsie took care of the children and the shop.
It was hard work, because the couple had no fewer than ten children, one son and nine daughters. “The children grew up with the store and worked in the business and in the market.” The profession was thus passed on from generation to generation. Three sisters, Ans, Karin and Charlot, took over the business. “You can still contact us for repairs and adjustments to your bag.”
“The closure does evoke emotions in us.”
According to the sisters, many Tilburg residents came to the store to buy their first book bag. “Many customers have warm memories of a visit to our store. This business is our life’s work. It does evoke emotions to close the door for good soon.”
One of those customers is Joke van Gestel, for her eightieth birthday she receives a brand new bag from her daughter. “I bought my first school bag here as a child, an old-fashioned brown one with those locks. My mother came here for that,” she says. Joke’s other bags also come from G. de Man-Melis. “I didn’t have many, but the ones I had were bought here.”

The 80-year-old from Tilburg thinks it is a shame that the leather goods store is closing down. “It’s close by, feels familiar and the quality is good.” Although she has to admit that she had not bought a new bag for a while. “I was surprised that they were still there, the business has been around for so long.
“It’s really beautiful craftsmanship.”
The three sisters still talk with great admiration about their father’s craftsmanship, even though they are true professionals themselves. “My father made school and bicycle bags for everyone. When you see how it is made, it is really impressive,” says Karin.
Charlot adds a leather burgundy red jeu de boules bag. “All couples in my father’s family received these, and then they could choose the color themselves.” He also made countless wallets. “If you needed a new one, you chose the color and often had it a day later,” says Karin.
“It’s starting to get itchy now.”
Father Gerard and mother Betsie thought quality and service were very important. “When people came into the store for a repair and said, just do it quickly. Then we already knew it wasn’t going to work. My father wanted something to be done well and neatly and that just took time.”
But on March 1, the business will close for good after almost eighty years. “It’s starting to get a bit exciting and itchy now,” says Charlot. Sister Ans thinks that it also hurts many customers that they stop. “We will also shed a tear because we are putting an end to our life’s work. We grew up here, but we are also grateful that we can end it together.”