Skatecafe was conceived by Colin Vlaar, once a welder and ramp builder at Nine Yards. He wanted a place where skateboard culture was not next to the catering industry, but in the middle of it. Therefore, the concrete mini-ramp was literally built in the heart of the main hall, with tables, bar and DJ booth surrounding it.
The space is a former warehouse in an industrial part of North. You can see that in the raw character: high ceilings, open floor and little frills. The entire hall is used as one continuous space, where the bar, dining area and ramp merge. During opening hours and at selected events, people skate inside, while on the sides people sit eating or hanging out at the bar.
The cuisine focuses on seasonal and local produce. In doing so, they pour natural wines. The menu changes with the season, which really gives the restaurant its own role alongside the skate area and club nights. You can eat elaborately at the table first and then move on to the shows or dance floor, without having to change locations.
Through this mix of skate infrastructure, seasonal cuisine, natural wines and night program, Skatecafe plays a clear role in the transformation of the area around the Gedempt Hamerkanaal. The old industrial halls are increasingly taking on a cultural function, and in the process Skatecafe is attracting regular visitors from the neighborhood as well as night people and skaters from the rest of the city.