Hendrick de Smet is set to take over the Bij Filip chip shop in Groot Vleeshuis in Ghent, which was previously managed by Filip Illegems. At just 16 years old, Hendrick is undertaking a small revolution. He has been visiting the chip shop regularly since he was a toddler and if he completes his studies, he will already have experience working in a chip shop on Sundays. His father believes that this new venture will secure their future for the next 30 years. Meanwhile, Illegems is retiring after more than 30 years of managing the establishment.
It’s a small revolution: Hendrick de Smet prepares to take over the Bij Filip chip shop in Groot Vleeshuis in Ghent, run until then by Filip Illegems. He is only 16 years old, reports Nieuwsblad.
“My father has taken me to Filip every week since I was two years old. We parked in the Burgstraat and went to the chip shop in a stroller. I knew the route so well that I pointed the way to show that I wanted to eat fries, ”says the young man. If he must first finish his studies, he already works in a chip shop on Sundays. “A lot of clients already know me. It’s fun to work here. We’re with people all the time.” “The next 30 years are now guaranteed,” says Hendrick’s father.
For his part, Filip Illegems leaves his establishment after more than thirty years of service: “There is a time to start and a time to stop”, he confides to the Nieuwsblad.
It’s always heartwarming to see young people pursuing their dreams and taking over a family business. In the case of Hendrick de Smet, this small revolution is taking place at the Bij Filip chip shop in Ghent, where he is set to take over from Filip Illegems. As a regular customer from the age of two, Hendrick knows the ins and outs of the business and is excited to continue its legacy. With his father’s support and the trust of their loyal customers, the future looks bright for Hendrick and the Bij Filip chip shop. It’s bittersweet to see Filip Illegems leave after three decades of service, but as he wisely notes, there is a time to start and a time to stop.