SUCCESS STORY
A HEALTHY MIX MAKES A VIBRANT CITY Kristian de Leeuw may not have been born and raised in Rotterdam, but he’s part of the fabric of this port city. It all started with the parties that became BAR on West-Kruiskade. These days he’s a mainstay of the Schieblok, where he opened the Central District’s first retro arcade hall.
TEXT Céline Boute PHOTOGRAPHY Ruben Stam
40 For someone with a degree in history, entrepreneurship
of venues in Rotterdam. They were a hit and demand grew.
was not the most obvious career move. But when Kristian
‘The city had no established nightclubs such as this, so we
arrived in Rotterdam 11 years ago to train with a photogra-
decided to be the first. That was in Rotterdam Noord. BAR
pher he met Jetti – the woman who’d become his business
on West-Kruiskade came shortly after that and we had a
partner. While working at the ROOM hostel, he found he
blast there for two years. Then, through our connections
preferred the Rotterdam mentality of ‘less talk, more ac-
with Zus Architecten, we started at Schieblok.’ The simple
tion’. ‘Working at the hostel, it became apparent there
concept behind BAR was scaled up into a multifunctional
wasn’t much entertainment in Rotterdam’, Kristian recalls.
club with theatrical performances, club nights and a res-
‘Berlin was our inspiration. There, nothing is over-the-top
taurant. A possible relocation was derailed in 2019, but
and it seems like everything is possible. We decided to stop
that didn’t dampen Kristian’s entrepreneurial spirit, and
moaning and do something.’
so the idea for a retro arcade hall was born.
URBAN LIFE
POING ARCADE
Rotterdam is in the midst of a transformation. Just ten
As the district grew, so did the search for concepts that
years ago the city’s image was pretty different. ‘When uni
would appeal to a broader public. Kristian realized a ret-
friends asked where I wanted to live, this city didn’t even
ro arcade with classic game machines and club nights on
come to mind. But I wound up here by chance and ended up
weekends would be a perfect match. The name is a nod to
sort of falling in love. You don’t see that rawness of aban-
the popular music scene. ‘POING links back to a track by
doned buildings and street art in other cities. Looking at
Rotterdam Termination Source, a great techno track from
the Central District specifically, I’d say we’ve definitely
1992. The great thing about the arcade is that weekends
contributed to its popularity now. It’s the mix of living,
are packed with families, on weekdays we get office out-
working and entertainment that make this area a great
ings, and the old crowd from BAR still stick around for a
place to be. And that’s the key thing we need to hold onto.’
game and dance nights in the club.’ Predicting the future is difficult in these times, but his next entrepreneurial dream
Kristian and Jetti’s entrepreneurial success started with
is to open an outdoor club with a big terrace. For now
their ‘Society for Public Happiness’, or MAVV in Dutch for
though, Kristian’s focus is on the arcade, which he hopes to
short, that set up parties both legal and illegal at all kinds
see back in action again soon.
