December 2, 2016 · Team HG
The well-known ‘La Brasse’ on Poeleplein in Groningen is closing its doors for good. The building is being renovated in preparation for the Groninger Forum, and the future remains uncertain. Owners Dick (Jr.) and Mirjam Jager are saying goodbye on January 1, 2017, to a business where they could be found regularly since childhood.
In the summer of 1978, the retail premises at Poelestraat 23 made way for the hospitality establishment ‘De Brasserie’. The old shop can still be recognized today by the small bay window directly behind the entrance, where four small tables stand. Above this, the curves can be found that indicate the contours of what was once the shop's office.
Owner Paul Simons, who together with his wife Hammie Jasper the Warehouse The establishment turned ‘De Brasserie’ into a high-profile spot. The interior was bright, white, and featured many transparent elements. Here, artistic and cultural Groningen met: on the terrace, inside the café at the brown tables, or outside in the garden with a pond full of koi carp.
In 1998, Simons handed over his business to Sjoerd Kooistra. The new owner decided to fill in the pond, clear the garden, and build a large conservatory on the freed-up space.
In early 2005, a trio appointed by Kooistra took over the business under the name Horeca Combinatie Groningen BV (HCG). Up until that time, the hospitality establishment had had many tenants, eight of whom were declared bankrupt. The hospitality property has gone through a turbulent past due to the various property owners and breweries and is currently in the hands of Vastgoed Groningen BV.
August 2013. Dick Jr. and Mirjam Jager move into the premises as tenants. The brother and sister name the business ‘La Brasse’, a commonly used abbreviation (‘de bras’) of ‘De Brasserie’ in their own words. The blood relatives have left their mark on the business since childhood. They could often be found there, as the company was the neighbor of Grand Café Time Out is, their parents' former company, and has now been owned by Mirjam and Dick Jr. themselves for twelve years. Mirjam Jager still clearly remembers eating sandwiches there with her brother at lunchtime. Over the years, the two developed a good connection with all the employees.
When taking over the business, the pair already knew that it would require extensive renovation in the future due to the construction of the Groninger Forum. A renovation is planned for the rear of the building, in which the facade will be raised by three to four storeys to maintain symmetry with the rest of the design, aligning with the surrounding square around the Forum. Vastgoed Groningen BV plans to convert the additional floors into apartments and studios. To do so, parts of the building must first be demolished, and an archaeological investigation may still take place. The future of the hospitality function on the ground floor remains uncertain. This has led brother and sister Jager to decide to close ‘La Brasse’. A sad decision, but the best decision, both emotionally and commercially.
About anderhalf maand zijn de grootse spiegels, de klassieke kroonluchters, de houten lambrisering en het krantje lezen aan de stamtafel er niet meer bij. De deuren van de Franse, authentieke brasserie gaat per 1 januari 2017 op slot.
Until the end of this year, you can visit us from Wednesday to Sunday starting at 11:00 AM for breakfast or coffee with fresh cake, lunch in the afternoon, high tea in the late afternoon, and dinner followed by late-night drinks until the late hours. Several ‘La Brasse’ concepts such as High Wine, High Beer, and various dishes will live on in Grand Café Time Out.
