DOne called him a phenomenon, the other a legend. But everyone agreed, John Makken was a more than remarkable appearance. With his snow-white and always well-groomed head of hair, he was a well-known figure in the city center of Groningen and in the Poelestraat in particular. John Makken passed away two weeks ago at the age of 86. Last week in the crematorium of Groningen was the commemoration of this striking catering man who was praised for his great commitment to his staff and who never got a cross word.
The large auditorium of the crematorium filled to capacity to commemorate this special man and to support the family in coping with the grief of the death. Wife Gré whom John Makken married 63 years ago, the two daughters José and Anita and the grandchildren. A sea of mainly bright white flowers formed the decor around the also bright white coffin. The family had asked city journalist and presenter Piet van Dijken and FC Groningen director Hans Nijland to speak, the funeral director read a text that daughter Anita wrote to her father the day after the death. Between the speakers, music by The Eagles, Frank Sinatra, Corrie Konings and James Last was played.
The Life of John Makken
Piet van Dijken examined John Makken's life in his own unique way. A life that John shared from his early years with his great love Gré. It was not the intention of the twenty-something John to get into the catering industry. He worked as a welder in the shipbuilding industry and later joined his father-in-law who ran a plumbing company in the city. Together they invested the copper work on the tower of the Academy Building and later the same precious metal on the roof of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
A job in the Poelestraat 31 building was in fact the beginning of the catering existence of the still young couple. John Makken bought the property together with Hennie Roggen in 1968 and in his scarce spare time turned it into a disco that would become very famous in Stad en Ommeland under the name The Jolly Joker. Those first years did not bring great success, but suddenly the clubbing public discovered this new place and they stood in line outside to be allowed in. One of the disc jockeys of that time was Piet van Dijken.
Artists
It didn't stop with The Jolly Joker. Further down the street they started the Poeldwinger and Le Bluet, a chic night shop with lots of live music. Ronnie Tober, the Zangeres Zonder Naam, Anita Meijer, Corrie Konings, Ben Kramer, Rita Hovink, Ciska Peters and The Blue Diamonds were among the permanent stable of artists who liked to come to Groningen to perform for John and Gré and their many guests. . The name Bluet was removed from the facade years ago and replaced by Bar Players, where daughter Anita still holds sway since 1994.
The Dutch-language repertoire introduces Bar Players still the overtone and FC Groningen director Hans Nijland is a big fan of that. And not only him, because staff members and players of the football club like to come to the Poelestraat after a game that has been won or lost to drink a beer. John and Gré therefore settled at the bar and were happy to be served by daughter Anita. Nijland also praised John and Gré for the unwavering support, also financially, for the local football club. When John and Gré were not at work, they made one of many trips abroad with a special preference for Benidorm.
Eventually, The Jolly Joker lost its popularity and Lava was placed on its facade. John Makken didn't like it and built a pub in the basement of the building with the appropriate name De Kleine Joker. In 1999, with the sale of the company, the active catering life came to an end. After the commemoration in the crematorium, the group went to Gusto Wine & Bar to appropriately celebrate the life of John Makken. It is no coincidence that Gusto was chosen for this. John Makken's catering life started almost half a century ago in this building at house number 31.
Hans Nijland during his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Here the director of FC Groningen, together with his walking coach and neighbor Manon, lit a candle in a church in Arzua for the deceased Groningen catering entrepreneur John Makken.
