{"id":196056,"date":"2021-08-29T20:39:42","date_gmt":"2021-08-29T18:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/?post_type=plaats&p=196056"},"modified":"2026-09-26T22:40:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T20:40:58","slug":"2","status":"publish","type":"plaats","link":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/place\/aalten\/markt\/2\/","title":{"rendered":"Caf\u00e9 Stegers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Caf\u00e9-Restaurant Stegers, on the corner of Markt and Peperstraat in Aalten, has a long history dating back to the eighteenth century. The building began as an inn and gin distillery, later became an off-licence and eventually developed into a well-known caf\u00e9-restaurant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stegers is not only a popular meeting place but also an important part of Aalten’s local heritage. The building is a national monument<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Becking family<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1717, Lemmert te Kavestede had a brewery with a front garden<\/a> at this location. The inn run by Schaars is also known to have stood here. From around 1800 the occupants can be traced with greater certainty. At that time Lourens Becking, born in Varsseveld, lived in Aalten. According to an inscription on a fa\u00e7ade stone, Lourens Becking and Willemina Geertruid Schaars converted the property in 1799 into a house, distillery and agricultural barn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1804 Becking, a gin distiller by trade, had a new house built on Markt. High in the fa\u00e7ade he placed a stone bearing a cryptic rebus, which can be interpreted as: \u201cThe sewing house of Tabitha<\/em>\u201d. Father Reinders, however, gave it another meaning: \u201cTabitha desires to be refreshed by the merits that Christ acquired on Calvary<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 1828, his son Hendrik Jan took over the gin distillery. In 1864 he stopped distilling and continued as an off-licence proprietor, probably combining this with running a taproom. The building was altered and the Peperstraat section was let to baker Lourens Prins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Hendrik Jan died in 1889 without a male successor, his daughter Johanna Geertruida Klazina took over the off-licence. Her death in 1894 brought ninety years of Becking family distilling and retailing in Aalten to an end. The heirs sold the Peperstraat part of the property to merchant Salomon Goedhart, while the Markt building was let to carpenter H.B. Lelieveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aunt Mina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1922 the property on Markt became the home of \u2018Aunt\u2019 Mina Heersink-Geerdes, born in Brinkheurne near Winterswijk. She opened a caf\u00e9 here and later expanded it with a boarding house and restaurant. Her daughter Leis, who was married to Gert Prins, later helped her. Prins subsequently ran a tobacconist’s shop at the side of the building, and during the 1920s there was even a bicycle repair workshop in the back kitchen. Aunt Mina’s caf\u00e9 was known for the large pot-bellied stove in the centre of the room. In 1952 the fa\u00e7ade of the listed building was badly damaged when the centuries-old lime tree in front of the establishment was blown down during a severe storm<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stegers family<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the early 1960s, Riek and Jan Stegers of Groenlo were looking for a hospitality business. Riek already had experience in the trade. Jan was an insurance agent but also worked in hospitality in his spare time. The property on Markt in Aalten came up for sale and in April 1961 the Stegers family took the plunge. As they did not have the required licence for a tobacconist’s shop, they closed it and opened a snack bar in the former shop that October. Since 1990 Caf\u00e9-Restaurant Stegers has been run by Bertus and Jolanda Lammers together with Raymund and Sophia Stegers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new chapter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the beginning of 2025 it was announced that Caf\u00e9-Restaurant Stegers and De Geste would be taken over by Zila and Kayra Ertun\u00e7 of neighbouring Krul Bar & Restaurant. They said they would retain the original name and concept. With respect for the life’s work of the Stegers and Lammers families, they intend to preserve the atmosphere and tradition of this historic Aalten establishment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Residents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1823-1850<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 257<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurens Becking<\/strong> (Varsseveld, 28-04-1773), gin distiller<\/em>
Willemina Gertruid Schaars<\/strong> (Aalten, 07-08-1773)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volgende bewoners, zoon en echtgenote:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hendrick Jan Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 20-05-1804), gin distiller<\/em>
Gesina Sophia Gussinklo<\/strong> (Aalten, 16-04-1806)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1850-1860<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 279<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrick Jan Becking<\/strong><\/strong> (Aalten, 20-05-1804), gin distiller<\/em>
Gesina Sophia Gussinklo<\/strong> (Aalten, 16-04-1806)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1860-1870<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 279<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrik Jan Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 20-05-1804), gin distiller<\/em>
Gesina Sophia Gussinklo<\/strong> (Aalten, 16-04-1806)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1870-1880<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 356<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrik Jan Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 20-05-1804), off-licence proprietor<\/em>
Gesina Sophia Gussinklo<\/strong> (Aalten, 16-04-1806)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1880-1890<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 399<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrik Jan Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 20-05-1804), off-licence proprietor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next resident, daughter:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Johanna Geertruida Klazina Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 21-01-1837), off-licence proprietor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1890-1900<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 393<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johanna Geertruida Klazina Becking<\/strong> (Aalten, 21-01-1837), off-licence proprietor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next residents:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hendrikus Bernadus Lelivelt<\/strong> (Aalten, 18-02-1866), carpenter<\/em>
Johanna Berendina Reijers<\/strong> (Gendringen, 13-12-1872)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1900-1910<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten 465 > 519<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrikus Bernadus Lelivelt<\/strong> (Aalten, 18-02-1866), publican<\/em>
Johanna Berendina Reijers<\/strong> (Gendringen, 13-12-1872)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population register 1910-1920<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten C519<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrikus Bernadus Lelivelt<\/strong> (Aalten, 18-02-1866), publican<\/em>
Johanna Berendina Reijers<\/strong> (Gendringen, 13-12-1872)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next resident:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Aalten D572<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mina Aleida Heersink-<\/strong>Geerdes<\/strong> (Brinkheurne, 02-10-1878), caf\u00e9 proprietor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Address directory 1934<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aalten D572 > Markt 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wed. J.W.A. Heersink<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Address directory 1967<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Markt 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.F.J. Stegers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hotel Stegers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Owners<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This overview is incomplete.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year<\/th>Plot<\/th>Owner<\/th>Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1832<\/td>I-1153<\/td>Lourens Becking<\/td>580 m\u00b2 house, barn & yard<\/td><\/tr>
1844<\/td>I-1153<\/td>Hendrik Jan Becking, jeneverbrander<\/em><\/td>580 m\u00b2 house, yard, gin distillery<\/td><\/tr>
1895<\/td>I-4652<\/td>Hendrik Jan Becking, jeneverbrander<\/em><\/td>390 m\u00b2 house & yard<\/td><\/tr>
1909<\/td>I-4652<\/td>Hendrikus Bernadus Lelivelt, contractor<\/em><\/td>390 m\u00b2 house & yard<\/td><\/tr>
1922<\/td>I-4652<\/td>Mina Aleida Geerdes,
farmer & shopkeeper<\/em><\/td>		390 m\u00b2 house & yard<\/td><\/tr>
1937<\/td>I-6928<\/td>Mina Aleida Geerdes,
farmer & shopkeeper<\/em><\/td>		387 m\u00b2 house & yard<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Markt 2, Aalten<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1399,"parent":187647,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-196056","plaats","type-plaats","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plaats\/196056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plaats"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/plaats"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196056"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plaats\/196056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":196071,"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plaats\/196056\/revisions\/196071"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plaats\/187647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}