TALENT AWARD NOMINEE
One of the three nominees of the Talent Award 2023 at the Lodewijk van der Grinten Prize is Jurre Quicken, owner of the Brownies&downieS branch in Venlo. A lunchroom chain where people with disabilities are given the opportunity to develop. "When I started here, our slogan was: 'Pure is perfect'. Die actually said everything about the business. Our dishes are fresh and the staff always themselves."
The Heythuysen-based entrepreneur took the decision to take over the business, located on Jodenstraat, in the middle of the corona crisis. He gave up a good job as a financial adviser at Rabobank for it. The was a choice made with his heart. "I was 30 at the time and asked myself: do I want to keep doing this work for another 40 years. The answer was clear: no. My friend Inge worked in disability care and by chance took me for a cup of coffee to Brownies&downieS in Weert. That's where the spark struck. Before my job at Rabobank, I had always worked in the hospitality industry and it was my dream to one day start my own business. The turned out to be a cup of coffee that became decisive for my future."
'In particular, the purity of the staff and the casual atmosphere made me curious'
Out of the hospitality industry and back
Even at 15, Quicken was already working in the hospitality industry. To to deepen his knowledge, he opted for the Hogere Hotelschool in Maastricht and then rose to become the manager of an eatery in Roermond. So during his tenure at Rabobank, the cup of coffee at Brownies&downieS in Weert changed everything. He nods. "Although I was not familiar with the concept, I started thinking about it. My friend with her healthcare background and me with my hospitality experience. We contacted the head office and it clicked from both sides. A six months after we first met, the phone call came that the manager in Venlo wanted to quit. From then on, everything went fast."
In particular, it was the purity of the exceptional staff at Brownies&downieS and the casual atmosphere of the establishment that made Quicken curious. "It An additional advantage was: this is a day business. Especially now that we now have a little son, that's nice. Me can just put him to bed himself in the evening."
Challenge
Quicken and his girlfriend took over the five special employees from the former owner. The lockdown gave both parties all the time and space they needed to get used to each other. "I watched closely how Inge dealt with this group. I also received guidance from the Brownies&downieS head office. Purity really allows the special staff to respond in their own unique way. As for example, you ask them to do something, they can just say straight out: no, I don't feel like doing that right now."
'I definitely underestimated self-employment at first'
Self-employment
Quicken acknowledges that self-employment did provide more challenges than he expected. He laughs and says: "I thought: ah, the shop open from 9.30am to 5pm. Retrieved from quiet moments there is time for administration. To half past five I am outside and home at six. So So it certainly wasn't easy. By now, everything has calmed down and we have found the right rhythm." Jurre and Inge are also settling in just fine in Venlo. 'There is a lot of contact with other hospitality operators, especially on Jew Street. The team has now grown from five to 10 exceptional employees. Each of them has their own specific characteristics, which I want to deal with properly. There are also a number of regular staff working in the business, with our chef being a very important factor."
And now there is the nomination for the Talent Award. The phone call came completely unexpected. "It story was well explained and that got me excited immediately. The is nice that in Venlo they also nominate the new generation for this special entrepreneurial award. Me consider it an important piece of appreciation but certainly a great opportunity to expand my network."
lvdgprice.co.uk - browniesanddownies.co.uk/venlo
Text: Rob Buchholz - Photography: Bram Becks
