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Mequon's Cafe Hollander raises more than $35,000 for charity
By Erik S. Hanley
Mequon —The grand opening of Cafe Hollander in Mequon took place May 20-22 and more than $35,000 was raised for local charities throughout the benefit weekend.
The Lowlands Group, which operates Cafe Hollander and other "grand cafes" in Wisconsin, donated 100 percent of food sales as well as select beer sales, to Milwaukee Riverkeeper, the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, according to a news release June 2.
Representatives for the three charities were on-site that weekend to answer program questions. Jef Versele, seventh-generation owner of Brouwerij Van Steenberge, a brewery located in Ertvelde, Belgium, was also in attendance. His brewery donated beer so all sales would go to charity.
"We were thrilled to partner with Lowlands Group on their new opening," said Jennifer Bolger Breceda, executive director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, in the release. "Their support will help us grow not only our Annual Spring River Cleanup, where thousands of volunteers across the entire Milwaukee River Basin join together to beautify our watersheds, but also our critical water quality monitoring work."
Saturday morning saw over 150 cyclists showing up to make a 48-mile trip to Belgium, Wisconsin and back along the Ozaukee Interurban Trail.
"We will use the donation to invest in the development of a new rest area for the Ozaukee Interurban Trail in Mequon as well as pay for the installation of five donated bike repair stations along the trail," Andrew Struck, chair of The Ozaukee Interurban Trail Advisory Council, said in the release.
A custom Hollander-Benelux Racing bike was also auctioned off by the Lowlands Group donated by Fixation Bicycle Company. All proceeds benefitted the Wisconsin Bike Fed.
Dan Herwig, director of brand and marketing at Lowlands Group, called the opening weekend "a tremendous success."
"We had perfect weather and an amazing turnout, which benefitted our fundraising ability tremendously," he said.
Lowlands Group hosted a similar fundraiser when they opened their Madison location in October 2015, raising over $30,000 over four days. Overall the group has raised $65,000 for charity as part of their grand openings in the past year, the release states.
Cafe Hollander is now open daily at 8 a.m.
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