Feeling welcome in the city's living room
From tourists to residents: the Groningen Store (of which the TOURIST INFORMATION office is part) is open to anyone who wants to spread their love for the city and the surrounding area. Manager Dina Jongedijk has been working at the TOURIST INFORMATION office since 2003. In such a long time, she has had the opportunity to work in many different places.
It all began on Kattendiep; the tourist information office then moved to the corner of the Grote Markt, before relocating to the iconic steps in the centre of the Grote Markt. But now that Dina has been based in the Forum with her Groningen Store since 2019, everything has fallen into place. “This is where you really see all the target groups coming together,” she says.
Groningen brand
With the relocation of the tourist information office to the Forum, the Groningen Store was born. Tourists can visit here for information, but now they can also buy authentic Groningen products made by local producers. And with that, the Groningen brand has also evolved. A new, recognisable corporate identity featuring a Groningen-style typeface, Groningen colours and texts was developed. “Thanks to the revamped brand, we’ve noticed that local residents are finding their way to us more often, rather than just tourists,” Dina notes. “I’m also in quite a lot of contact with colleagues from other cities who run brand stores, and you can really see that they look up to Groningen because our brand just feels right. That, combined with the products and the absolutely brilliant shop we have, makes me proud.”
Collaborations
The Groningen Store collaborates a lot with local makers and initiatives. For example, Dina is enthusiastic about the collaboration with Lutje Lokaal, which has the majority of local entrepreneurs in Stad affiliated. "But in addition to that, we take Groningen to heart; so we work together with NAIS, for example. They make unique handmade products from second-hand fabrics with people from Stichting Werkpro. And we also have a small Groningen Store at the Martini Hospital."
Hospitable
As a tourist information office, you naturally always have a welcoming role. For tourists, they are the first point of contact for getting to know the city better. That’s why Dina feels it’s particularly important that everyone feels welcome at the Groningen Store. She also believes it’s important to use their role to put other Groningen businesses firmly on the map. “I think we really do act as a referral service. We sell our own products here, but we also refer people to other businesses, because that’s how we can all keep going together.”
Christmas in Groningen style
The Groningen Store is already preparing well for the upcoming holidays: "Two years ago we started with our Christmas jumpers, more as a gimmick. But it turned out to be a great success: people really get a smile on their face from it." The Groningen Store is also the right place for fun Christmas packages. The packages are available for both business and private customers. "For the packages, we work together with Lutje Lokaal. We add some fun Groningen stuff and with the Lutje Lokaal gift card, the recipient chooses which of the local entrepreneurs to spend it at."
