Shopkeeper
Dirk (Dick) Fries (1924-03-30 – 2002-10-08), son of Georg Fries and Jansje Meijerman, was a household name in Aalten. Everyone knew him from his tobacco shop, Sigarenmagazijn Dick Fries. He was also a well-known figure on the streets, accompanied by his guide dog.
Fries had become blind during World War II. In 1949, he opened his shop on Landstraat in Aalten. Despite his disability, he was able to find his way around his shop flawlessly. Handling payments with customers also presented no problem for him.
Every cigar enthusiast knew how to find Dick Fries’s little shop in Aalten. Dick Fries was even a Purveyor to the Royal Household. Two years after his passing, the interior of this shop was moved to the Netherlands Open Air Museum in Arnhem.
