Village café Bie Tiel in ‘t Reutje closes its doors for good. After 110 years, an era comes to an end
Three generations worked in the cafe. The last manageress, Mariet Smeets, has called it quits. She is going to enjoy her retirement with her husband. After 51 years of work it has been good.
No follow-up
There is no succession and they do not want to sell the café because the house is adjacent to the pub. That is why there is a special farewell for its regulars. And they come in great numbers.
Home feeling
Smeets says that in recent years the customers mainly come from outside the hamlet. “They come here once for a drink and they enjoy it so much that they come back often.” Regular customers especially describe the feeling of home when they talk about the village café. “Here you know everyone and hospitality takes precedence over commerce”, says one of the regular guests. That is also what manager Smeets hears back: “Always have a chat with your customers, even when you are busy”.