The well-known Utrecht catering business Stairway at the Mariaplaats will close. After 25 years it is time for a transformation, Henk Westbroek and Julia Harris write on Facebook. The two retire. Daughter Chrissie Westbroek and partner Dani Aguilera will continue at the same location, but there will be a new concept.
Stairway to Heaven opened in 1995. Before that there was another well-known club at the address, Cartouch. So now something new is coming. Stairway to Heaven can safely be called an iconic business, although the identity of the business has changed in recent years. For a long time the place was full of gold records and guitars. Later the name also changed to the shorter version, Stairway.
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But Stairway is closing. On August 24 the metamorphosis starts, as Henk Westbroek and Julia Harris call it on Facebook. They explain, “Last year my wife and I decided to retire after Stairway’s 25th anniversary. And to hand over the keys to our daughter Chrissie Westbroek and her partner Dani Aguilera. It is a family business and it will remain so. ”
750 artists
Actually, there would have been a big party in April to celebrate the 25th anniversary. This was canceled for the known reason, the coronavirus. But Henk and Julia’s pension will continue. “Julia and I would like to thank everyone who has visited us for the past 25 years to have a drink, eat or enjoy live music. We are proud that over the years about 750 artists have found a stage with us. (Among others Alanis Morisette, Herman Brood, Shania Twain, Golden Earring, Lil Kleine, and rapper Snel). ”
Stairway is going to close, but there will be a new catering concept in the building. Henk writes about this: “Chris and Dani hold the view that Utrecht is ready for something new in the catering sector. And this new duo is the management so they are about the future, like Julia and I were about the past. Chris and Dani will radically renovate for six weeks and then open the gates again. With a new name, which should fit seamlessly with their new concept. ”
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