Café De Papboer in Minderhout undergoes major renovation for new opening in May

The former café near the hall had seen its best days. That is why vzw ‘t Markenhof decided to renew it. “We rented the café to the pigeon club and the billiards club,” explains Luc Herthogs of the non-profit organization. “They can still go there after the renovation work, but new operators will come. It used to be a dark interior, which is now much brighter due to the beams that have been sandblasted. There will be a glass door between the café and the hall. The renovation works started at the end of November. Without the help of many volunteers it would not have been possible.”

Liesbeth Van den Bogerd (38) and Marc Godrie (44) from Minderhout will be the new operators. “I already have a lot of experience in the catering industry and we have been keeping the social area at Hoogstraten VV football club open for two years,” says Liesbeth. “My main profession is a real estate agent. So three years ago I came to ‘t Markenhof to make an estimate. When I told them that they could call if they were looking for a new manager for the café. But then it had to be renewed first. I used to say that I wanted to have a wine and tapas bar when I was fifty. Now the opportunity presented itself twelve years earlier.”

Small kitchen

Customers still have to be patient until Thursday, May 9 at 2 p.m. Liesbeth and Marc really like it. “We had our say in the design. One of the points of interest was that we could look outside from behind the bar. There will be a large terrace at the front. That is a great asset, because in Minderhout you can currently only sit on the terrace next to a busy street. We also provide play facilities for children. The café will have a small kitchen for dishes such as spaghetti, croque monsieur and pizza baguette,” says Liesbeth.

“De Papboer should become a village café for young and old,” says Marc. “We are open to input and suggestions, for example to put a beer of the month on the menu. On weekends we open at 9 am, on other days after noon. Monday is the closing day. We start without permanent staff, but we can call in people at busy times. It is also good for our son, who is following a catering course at VTI Spijker in Hoogstraten.”

Wealth

De Papboer refers to the nickname of the residents of Minderhout. The relative wealth of the farmers at the time aroused envy in surrounding villages. In Minderhout people could afford thick porridge, while in other villages it was only water porridge. The stone artwork of the porridge farmer that adorns the facade of the library is depicted in the logo of the new café.

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