If all goes well, coffee shop Hippe Nanna will open its doors in the University Library (UB) in a week. Hippe Nanna will replace the Starbucks that was previously located there and closed before the summer.
The new place by UG’s house caterer, Beijk, will be decorated with rose wallpaper and tiger prints. The name Hippe Nanna refers to ‘nanna’ Swanny, commercial director Marleen Udema’s late mother. Swanny passed away last year at the age of 81 and was a fan of glitter and pink. The coffee shop is a tribute to her.
People will be able to study or relax here in peace, says store manager Marcus van Thiel. ‘There’s plenty of space to sit and we’ll play quiet music.’
Cheaper
Hippe Nanna will be cheaper than Starbucks, promises Zwanet Brouwer, director of party catering at Beijk. A black coffee will cost 2.50 euros, and cappuccino or ginger tea will be three euros. ‘Starbucks was very expensive, with a coffee costing five or six euros.’
Brouwer is confident that the business will succeed. ‘We saw some figures from Starbucks. They’re not entirely representative anymore because the competition in the area has increased, but there’s definitely good money to be made here.’
Own entrance
There’s still one small hurdle. Currently, Hippe Nanna can only be accessed through the UB, meaning it will mainly attract students and UG staff, Brouwer expects.
She is in talks with the UG about having a separate front entrance. That way, the shop would also be able to serve non-university customers. The university is open to the idea, says Brouwer. ‘It won’t happen this year, but it can certainly be arranged later.’
Back to the menu. Hippe Nanna will sell yogurts, smoothies, noodles, and cookies, among other things. ‘We will be making those fresh’, says Van Thiel. ‘We really want to lure customers in with the smell.’
Later on, meals such as spaghetti bolognese will be added, costing approximately six euros.
Luxury toastie
Anyone who is enticed to come inside should definitely try the Danté, says Van Thiel. It’s a luxury toastie made with Turkish bread, halal salami, green pesto, and cheese, then grilled. ‘I previously managed a high school cafeteria, and I named this sandwich after one of the students.’
Hippe Nanna will open its doors no later than September 16 and will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.