Liesbeth Vonk threw in the towel five years ago. She had just become a mother and quit her job in the financial sector. "I think entrepreneurship has always been in it. When I saw that there was little offer for children's clothing in a city like Groningen, I knew it would fit here." In her shop Hartendief, she sells the cutest stuff for little ones: from backpacks to maternity gifts, soft toys and clothes.
Kop d'r veur
Liesbeth is a true Stadjer. When her plan for a children's shop became reality, she knew she wanted to stay in Stad. Although there was little vacancy at the time, she found the perfect spot on Oosterstraat. The down-to-earth and practical mentality of the Groningers fits well with her own style of business. "Kop d'r veur, we always say here. You saw that in Corona too: the entrepreneurs here really went for it. Don't whine, just do it."
Extra hospitable
Over the years, Liesbeth has built up a regular customer base. A personal approach in the shop, is her priority. "It's a great compliment when people come back. Of course, I work here a lot with children, so you have to be extra hospitable. After all, children are noisy and busy, but I find that very pleasant," she says. The nice thing about doing business in Groningen is that there is always room for a nice chat, according to Liesbeth. "And if there is something wrong, we solve it immediately. Having something fixed, exchanged or returned is no problem."
Stronger together
Liesbeth has been in the organisation of Lutje Lokaal for a year now. She helps organise the Lutje Lokaal Saturday, which takes place twice a year. These events pave the way for people to come to the city centre and pop into the shops and restaurants. Liesbeth also greatly appreciates the collaboration with other local entrepreneurs. "I think you are just much stronger together, you can learn from each other and you are not alone," she says. For instance, she finds it natural to refer to a competitor if she cannot help a customer further. "If I don't have certain items I'd rather make sure customers find it somewhere else in town, rather than having to order it online."
Liesbeth feels that the welcoming atmosphere is spreading throughout Groningen. Her favourite place in the city is the city centre. She is very happy with the arrival of the Forum and the greening of the Grote Markt. "It's nice to be in the city. With the changes and the nice atmosphere, the city centre really gets added value. Especially as a counterpart to online shopping, it's nice that there are more and more places in the city for recreation." So Liesbeth will be in her place in Groningen for some time to come. And so she will continue to steal the hearts of her customers.
This entrepreneurial portrait was created as part of the Gastvrij Groningen programme. The Gastvrij Groningen programme is run by Marketing Groningen and implemented and financed on behalf of The Fund for Enterprising Groningen, the Municipality of Groningen and Groningen Bereikbaar. Koninklijke Horeca Nederland and the four Groningen business associations: Groningen City Club, Bedrijvenvereniging West, Bedrijvenverenigin Zuidoost and Bedrijvenvereniging Noordoost are also involved in the programme.