Alexander Claus of Papa's Beach House
Alexander, what is your link with Haarlemmermeer?
I myself live just across the Ringvaart, a stone's throw from Haarlemmermeer. But given my work, I often feel like a resident of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.
I have fond memories as a child, especially of the Haarlemmermeerse Bos. There used to be a surfing and sailing school in the forest. Here I learned to sail. In the summer holidays I spent hours here playing around the lake. Looking for frogs and fish while my father was at work in the office.
I now see a lot of potential for Haarlemmermeer. It is a beautiful, strong economic municipality. There is still a lot of room to do business and grow here. With the current state of mind, in which corporate social responsibility is central, great developments can be put on the agenda. A Congregation to Pioneer!
Everything we do at Papa's Beach House is based on the idea that we want to be a place where people feel at home. Where beautiful memories are made and where family and friendship are celebrated.
How exactly did your Claus family business start?
In the 60s, my grandparents rented out their house in Noordwijk aan Zee during the summer as a kind of bed & breakfast. In those years my grandfather was a sales manager at a match factory and my grandmother took care of the rental of the bed & breakfast. Once they had saved enough money, in 1969 they got a chance to open a bowling alley in Haarlem. Then, 12 years later, they opened a second location in Alkmaar.
The name of the companies then changed to “Claus Partyhouse”. This is a name we still hear from time to time. In 1991 the third and largest Claus branch opened in Hoofddorp. Many successful years followed. The concepts were successful, such as the indoor barbecues with DJs and lots of entertainment and parties with well-known Dutch people. Now we have grown further, but still with the same idea: “bringing people together since 1969”.
Papa's Beach House is an icon in the Haarlemmermeerse Bos. Can you tell me about the origins of Papa's Beach House?
Papa's Beach House started in 1989 as an event location. When the weather was nice, we sold fries, snacks and ice creams. We quickly saw that it had much more potential and that the more exclusive parties often like to organize an event here. Papa's Beach House was therefore completely rebuilt in 2013.
Apart from the foundation and floor, the building is built entirely of sustainable wood. We have used recyclable and recycled materials as much as possible. As a result, we have grown from a snack bar to a restaurant for lunch and dinner. That was not easy in the beginning. The people who were used to the old version of Papa's Beach House often just wanted a simple fries. Instead of an extensive meal. Fortunately, those same people also knew where to find us afterwards if they wanted a nice lunch or dinner.
Is it true that you can go straight into the water from Papa's Beach for supping?
That's right. Last year we entered into a partnership with SUP SUP CLUB for the rental of special paddle boards. An innovative SUP SUP CLUB GO station has been installed next to our restaurant. Here users can access the paddleboards via an app. Last year it was already a huge success. This year, without any restrictions due to corona, we hope to grow this success even further with fun activities.
The Haarlemmermeerse Bos is a popular place. Where not only everyone from Haarlemmermeer but also from beyond comes to relax, play sports or meet each other.
What are the future plans for Papa's Beach House?
We are busy with a new Papa's Beach House establishment. But I can't say too much about that yet! Our focus in the coming period will mainly be on maintaining our quality. That only works with the right people. A team of enthusiastic and passionate people is the most important part of our concept. Fortunately, we have an incredibly nice team that has stayed despite the corona pandemic. As a result, we are looking forward to the summer with great pleasure.
What makes your company unique in Haarlemmermeer?
The Haarlemmermeerse Bos has become more and more beautiful in the last 10 years. It's a popular place. Where not only everyone from Haarlemmermeer but also from beyond comes to relax, play sports or meet each other. Papa's Beach House fits perfectly in this environment.
The name Papa's Beach House comes from the world famous writer and explorer Ernest Hemingway, who was nicknamed “Papa”. Papa's Beach House has since become a symbol for all bon vivants and adventurers. Our motto is “celebrating the good life”. Everything we do, we do with the idea that we want to be a place where people feel at home. Where beautiful memories are made and where family and friendship are celebrated. Many weddings and special events are also organized here.
What are you proud of as an entrepreneur in Haarlemmermeer?
I am proud that Haarlemmermeer is an incredibly dynamic municipality. It is very local here, but also international because of Schiphol. Business tourism and the international companies that have established themselves in the Haarlemmermeer. It really is a place where there is a nice balance between the interests of residents and businesses. In addition, the Haarlemmermeer has a nice diverse range of restaurants. There is a lot of space here, in the broadest sense of the word.
I cordially invite everyone to come by for a snack and a drink Dad's Beach House. It is wonderful to enjoy the water here, with a view over the beautiful Haarlemmermeerse Bos!
