Since its opening by Freddy Heineken in February 1955, Café de Oude Wacht has been a household name on the Zuiderdiep in Groningen. The space where the café was established was previously used as a waiting area for bus passengers and conductors: the bus station was right in front of the door. The couple Wies and Bob Marijn ran the Oude Wacht for 50 years, a fact that explains why the café has so many authentic elements.