De Grote Roltrap (The Big Escalator), the pop-up mall in the former V&D building on the Grote Markt in Groningen, will open on 1 May.
By Marieke Bos / Translation by Traci White
Project leader Ralph Steenbergen’s goal was for the pop-up mall to open before King’s Day, but that date turned out to be too ambitious. “Even trying to get everything ready by 1 May is a race against time”, Steenbergen says, “but most of the businesses say they will be able to do it.”
Space on the ground floor of the building is almost entirely rented out. Starting next week, visitors will be able to shop for toys, books, clothing, shoes and whiskey, and grab a bite to eat at temporary restaurants featuring Mexican food, sushi, pizza, pastries, salads and traditional droge worst (dry sausage).
A pop-up bar called Wat ‘n Boudel (What a Fuss in Gronings) located on the ground floor will feature a terrace built entirely from recycled materials where guests can enjoy a lemonade, specialty beer or glass of wine and bar snacks.
The first floor of De Grote Roltrap will be a testing ground for e-bikes, and younger visitors can try out electric go-karts. Steenbergen says that their goal is to fill the remaining floors of the building with various pop-up stores.
While the opening date has been announced, there are not yet any details about the programme for the opening day.
