No More Lousy Meatball Sandwiches

A gas station that sells healthy juices, homemade carrot cake and croissants. At Scheijwijk along the A27 near Hoogblokland, they serve almost exclusively food and drinks worthy of a caterer.

Entrepreneurial duo Ingrid and René de Wagenaar have replaced the Esso brand at the station with their own Scheiwijk brand. The first thing you notice when you arrive is the trendy black-and-white logo adorning the façade of the gas station. The branding is more reminiscent of a cool coffee bar in Rotterdam than a gas station in Brabant. Even the flowers outside look very different from the usual kitschy little arrangements.

Never miss any food news? Follow FavorFlav on Facebook.

Tagines and trendy cacti

Once inside, you feel as though you are in a beautifully designed shop filled with the loveliest gifts. According to the entrepreneurs, three-quarters of their customers do not stop by to refuel, but only to visit the shop. And we can understand why, because in the middle there is a large wooden table covered with the most beautiful (cook)books, while colourful tagines, jars of jam, Sal de Ibiza, trendy cacti and more things that make you want to buy everything are displayed everywhere.

Everything fresh

The fresh sandwiches, juices, coffee and cakes are all homemade—definitely not what you expect from a gas station. But what if you are really craving a typical gas-station snack? There is still a small rack on the right side of the counter with croquettes, minced-meat sticks and meatball sandwiches.

Image: Scheiwijk