Gabby Hölter's Café

Gabriele (Schroer) Hölter is the wife of Clemmens Hölter and daughter-in-law of Tilla (Nieland) Hölter.

Westdeutsche Zeitung, November 20, 2009

Gruiten: A piece of happiness on a plate

—by Svenja Lehmann

Business: Sonja Rödder and Gaby Hölter took over the café in the village and have offered coffee and cake since the 23rd of October. The selection is large, the prices moderate: A coffee costs costs 1.80 Euro, a glass of orange juice of 2 Euro, a milkshake 3 Euro, a piece of cake or pie between 2.20 and 2.40 Euro.

Photo: Sonja Rödder (left) and Gaby Hölter offer their guests delicious Cakes in country house ambience. (Photo: Stefan Fries)

Gruiten—A visitor to the village of Gruitener feels as if he’s entered an idyll of the past.  The village café is the icing on the cake in making that impression—although anything but an idyllic mood surrounded this gem in the past.

The prior tenant Susanne Fredrich had given up her business after a neighbor filed a complaint about noise.  Since spring there have been complaints about the unoccupied building so, says the landlord’s wife Inge Berkenbusch, "The café doesn't make a lot of noise. “

Since October 23 the two new tenants have put on aprons: Gaby Hölter (47) of Haan and Sonja Rödder (47) of Solingen. Neither has any previous gastronomic knowledge. “We worked before as bookkeepers,“ they explained.

But they trust their mixing bowls and ovens: “We always baked a lot and gladly for our families.” And also the desire, as well, to make the step toward vocational independence, accompanied by a long time friend. When a new tenant for the café was sought, the women didn’t think about it for long.

Now they daily bake fresh delicacies that make choosing difficult for their patrons. From classics such as cheese cake and apple cake over fruity blueberry and orange squares to the seductive cream pie, every guest finds something to his taste.

"We've received a lot of complements and already have our first regular customers," said the happy Hölter and Rödder. The cozy country house atmosphere in the old farm house doesn’t only attract older patrons. "Also many young people out for a walk stop in."

For the next year meetings are planned such as readings and play evenings. In the summer, tables will be set up again in front of the Café until five p.m. Noise pollution however is not a consideration then — it’s solely in appreciation of the quiet.

 

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