ViaVia Joker Reiscafe, Antwerpen

 A few months ago, I sat at the bar talking with Jeroen, part-owner of ViaVia Joker Reiscafe, brother and business partner of Marise.  Together they own and operate Antwerp’s ViaVia Joker Reiscafe.

As he told me the story of becoming a cafe owner, it occured to me that perhaps ViaVia has a life of it own and seeks out like-minded souls.  It began as a kind of joke, he was a student and was asked by the owners to cover for his wandering sister while she was in India.  The two managers obviously saw the potential and began showing him how to run the business. Eventually convinced, he quit his studies to run the business with his sister, not returning to study until 2007.  Marise is an artist but she also put her painting aside to develop the cafe, only recently returning to her art.

They have been running the cafe for more than two years now and I was curious to know if customers had noticed changes since they had taken over.  A fairly modest guy, Jeroen said that customers have mentioned that there’s a younger fresher atmosphere, perhaps noting the efforts made ... flowers on the table, the drinks menu and freshly painted tables.  They also work behind the counter more often than the previous owners and they have a vibrant staff.

He told me that things had been going well before they took over so there was no need to change much.  These days most people are satisfied, with the biggest change being that the client base has perhaps become younger. 

As with so many of the cafes I’m drawn to round the world, ViaVia Joker Reiscafe is more than a simple cafe.  There’s free wifi - it was one of the first cafes to provide free wifi here in the city, a small library at the back and then there are the people who meet there for Spanish classes and music sessions.  ViaVia hosts an annual party in Hendrik Conscienceplein and of course, the cafe also attracts their neighbours, people who come in the evenings to talk and catch up with friends.

The excellent music was something I had noticed on my very first visit and he explained that both they and their staff bring in the music they have on their iPods.  He laughs, admitting that they do have good taste but he believes it is related to the people who work there .... good music is important to all of them.

As an expat/immigrant/wanderer, this cafe was a place I loved from that first visit but the whole saga of the interview began long before this one with Jeroen.  His third partner in the business went traveling just after I asked if I might interview him ...  his sister was in India and then Jeroen was in Mexico. 

Christoph has since left the business to go travelling however Jeroen is very clear that he doesn’t see himself as a traveller, despite being party to creating this beautiful space that makes this wanderer so very comfortable.

He explained. I like to have nice holidays.  We were in Mexico two weeks and when I’m travelling I always meet a lot of other travellers but I dont see myself in the same category.  I don’t like the travelling scene even though I’ve done most of Europe and Mexico.  We stay on the normal hostel trail in Europe.  In Mexico and the US we moved around using the buses, stayed in the hostels and again, on the beaten track. 

Before traveling, I had this feeling that I had to go see something … that I was losing time.  I went to Mexico and understood that I had had holidays that were just as beautiful within a 1000kms of Antwerp.  Of course Mexico was beautiful but it’s just that I don’t have to go everywhere.

The ViaVia Joker Reiscafe has surely become one of my favourite cafes.  You can find them across the road from the Tram 11 stop on Wolstraat.  If walking, they can be found at Wolstraat 43, 2000 Antwerpen. They have a presence on Facebook and signing up will ensure that you are sent news of the many activities they organise throughout the year.

Enjoy.

Reiscafe translates directly as travel cafe ..