March 16, 2020 · Team HG
“Although no better decision could have been made for the health of a great many people, it was a huge blow when we heard at 5:30 PM on Sunday that we would have to close for three weeks half an hour later. Not only for us, but also for our loyal group of regulars and the large base of beer lovers who occasionally come to enjoy a tasty craft beer at De Koffer. Additionally, as the employer of our close-knit team, we naturally also have the responsibility to ensure the continuation of our employees’ income.” Thus stated the management of Café De Koffer.
From beer hall to webshop in a weekend
When we heard about the measures in Belgium on Friday, our team started thinking about what to do if these measures were to come our way as well. All sorts of ideas were discussed: painting the place, sprucing up the kitchen, and expanding our beer knowledge are all things we will be tackling in the coming weeks. But how can we contribute a little to solving the boredom for people stuck at home? If our guests can't come to De Koffer, we'll bring a piece of De Koffer to them!
Deliver the “suitcase feeling” to your home
We emphatically do not want to be just an ordinary online beer shop. We hope to provide the people who would otherwise spend a pleasant afternoon or evening with us with almost as good a time at home. So we built the site ourselves and handle the order processing entirely in-house. When we receive an order, one of our colleagues hops on their bike immediately. Alongside the ordered beers and snacks, we include coasters, a candle, some nuts, and even a deck of cards or dice with the order, so that we can bring as much of the “Koffergevoel” as possible. This feeling can then also be musically accompanied by the playlist of your favorite bartender.
Delivery by bicycle
Because we handle everything ourselves, we only deliver within the city of Groningen. Our colleagues will hop on their bikes and deliver orders as quickly as possible during opening hours. We will try to deliver orders contactless, but hope that—at a safe distance—there will still be an opportunity for a friendly chat with our guests whom we might otherwise not speak to for several weeks. The aim is to deliver all orders within an hour during opening hours (every day from 16:00 to 22:00). Not as fast as we would at the bar, but certainly fast enough for a last-minute fun evening. The beers are already chilled in our stock, so after they have recovered a bit from the cycling, they are ready to drink immediately.
More info: https://dekoffer.nl/webshop
Do you also have a temporary or adapted hospitality concept due to the corona crisis? Then let us know at joris@horecagroningen.nl
