From the W1555 Buurtkrant November 2024, by Lobke
“We want to offer a place where everyone feels welcome.”
Eugène & Linda (foto: Tristan Valkenburg)
We’re sure you’ve noticed, but in case you didn’t… WOLF Coffee is open again (since January 2024) after a 6-month stop! The new owners are Eugene & Linda: former customers and coffee-lovers from the neighbourhood. Together with their three daughters, they welcome you to Wolphaertsbocht 87. As well as their delicious coffee, they’ve also got cakes and sweet treats on the menu - or, enjoy a lovingly prepared breakfast or lunch. Everything they serve is vegetarian or vegan.
“We followed WOLF from the beginning (around 4 years ago) and always remember how happy we were to have a place like this in the neighbourhood! During the Corona and lockdown periods, WOLF was our getaway. We would get a ‘koffietje to-go’ and then walk to drink it at the waterfront. A brief chat with Marijke, the previous owner, was one of the few contacts you had back then.
We’ve lived in Oud-Charlois since 1996. We started in a flat on Charloisse Kerksingel. Then, in 2001 we bought a house near the Wolphaertsbocht, but there was a 6-month gap before we could move in. We used this time to make a trip backpacking around the world together. From Africa, to Oceania through to South America with Peru as our final destination. In Peru we met Jolanda, a Dutch lady who had adopted 12 street children and had just given birth to a baby daughter named Panay. She founded the Niños Hotel, an accommodation in Cusco. With the proceeds, she provides 600 (street) children with one or two healthy meals a day - and the necessary other care. (www.ninoshotel.com) Her enthusiasm and selfless drive was hugely impressive. When we had our own children, we named them Panay, Qente and Yana, Quechua names. We chose them so that we could continue re-telling Jolanda's story.
When WOLF Coffee was looking for a new owner, we felt the urge to get involved. We both work in education. Linda is a Group 6-7-8 teacher (Unit Education) and Eugene is a regional director in specialised education - for us, WOLF had to be something we do alongside our regular work. Our motivation actually matches Jolanda's: we want to selflessly give something back to the neighbourhood. We want to offer a place where everyone feels welcome and can meet each other. It’s so enjoyable to see people talk to each other, read a book or play a game. We hope to convey this kind of relaxed atmosphere.”
vlnr: Yana, Eugène, Panay, Qente & Linda (foto: Tristan Valkenburg)
WOLF COFFEE
Wolphaertsbocht 87
open: Fri. to Mon. / 09:00-15:00
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