This is De Oude Telefooncentrale

Travel back in time at Strijp-S. Thanks to Philips, the district is all about industrial heritage. Take De Oude Telefooncentrale, the only place in the Netherlands where you could connect to England during the Second World War. Nowadays, the bakelite telephones and picture tubes TVs are part of the trendy interior. The perfect decor to enjoy coffee with apple pie, cocktails, or shared lunch – a conversation with Robin Wessels and Christel Bots.

Q: What makes you unique?

Christel: We stand for a village-like coziness and eating heartily. When you come in, it is like entering a living room. And we offer simple and delicious food for a friendly price. For instance, we serve dinner for just € 14.50.

Robin: We're unique in the sense that we offer something familiar as well, in addition to all the trendy hotspots at Strijp-S. Like apple pie, which you won't find that easily around here. And, of course, our team makes us truly unique.

Q: How did you guys get started?

Robin: De Oude Telefooncentrale is one of the four locations of BijPuur. We started on the Hurk, an industrial area in Eindhoven, near big companies like ASML and Simac. We work with people at a distance from the labor market. Together we provide lunches, catering, drinks, and parties. 

We were growing fast, and many people wanted to come and work for us. The more locations we have, the more people we can offer a job. So we quickly set up a second location in Veldhoven, a third at preHistorisch Dorp, and last but not least, this location at Strijp-S.

Q: What makes people come back?

Christel: All of our team members like to have a chat. Many guests live in the neighborhood and come here regularly. They want to give our team-members self-confidence, and they find it a nice place with a casual atmosphere.

Q:  Do you have a fun story to tell?

Robin: We often have young people and children who come here and who have never seen a telephone with a rotary dial before. They don't know how something like that works.

Christel: It's the same with the phone clapper in which my grandmother used to keep addresses and phone numbers. We use that now for the bill. People have no clue what it is.

Robin: On the contrary, people who once worked in this building have stories about how it used to be. Those stories sometimes go back to the Second World War. They come over with their photo albums to show us what it was like.

Q: What is the biggest compliment you received so far?

Robin: We've had a lot of compliments! Especially for the team. But also about the interior design. It is an insta-worthy location. The five telephones in the hallway are a popular spot for photoshoots. As it turns out, it's not only a fun attraction for visitors: recently, a brand new fashion brand was here to shoot a campaign. 

Take a photo

Are you curious about De Oude Telefooncentrale? The big red arrow is in front of the door, so you can't miss it. Take a picture of yourself with the arrow at De Oude Telefooncentrale and share it on your stories with a tag for @eindhovencity and @oudetelefooncentrale. On 29, 30, and 31 December, you will receive a free bag of 'oliebollen' (a traditional Dutch snack) by showing your post. 

Name: De Oude Telefooncentrale
Location: Professor Horowitzstraat 200
Specialized in: coziness, goodfood, and trendy vibes
An Eindhoven hotspot since: 2020
Spoken with: Christel Bots and Robin Wessels