The Lowlands Group will close Café Hollander on Downer Avenue for 12 days beginning Nov. 6 and reopen on its 10th anniversary, Nov. 18th.
The restaurant, at 2608 N. Downer Ave. was the first Lowlands Group restaurant. Lowlands now operates seven Grand Cafés in Wisconsin including: Benelux Grand Café and Market, Café Bavaria, and Café Centraal, as well as four Café Hollanders located on Downer Avenue, the Village in Wauwatosa, Hilldale in Madison and Mequon Town Center.
“When we opened our Downer location 10 years ago, we couldn’t have imagined the success of the concept and the idea that we’d go on to create greatly expanded versions of Café Hollander,” said Dan Herwig, director of brand and marketing at Lowlands Group. “This renovation is needed to ensure that the next ten years are as successful as the past ten have been.”
While some aesthetic changes are planned, like new floors and a redesigned bar area, Lowlands Group plans on retaining as much of the original concept intact as possible. Updates will include increasing the number of tap lines from 24 to 37, all-new wood flooring, an updated bar and new kitchen equipment.
When the restaurant reopens, Café Hollander will launch with numerous events and offerings to celebrate the occasion, including a winter clothing drive.
The “Chili Weather Coat Drive” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 20. Anyone who donates a new or slightly used coat, or a set of cold weather gear, will receive a free bowl of chili and a Lowlands Brewing Collaborative Bourbon Barrel Aged Centraal Quadder beer. Colectivo Coffee is also donating hot chocolate and coffee to warm up the participants of the coat drive, which will be held outdoors on Hollander’s patio.
The renovated restaurant will also feature an updated menu, including a reimagined version of “The BTB,” a brie-tomato-basil sandwich that was on the original menu when the Hollander location first opened its doors. The reopening also marks the launch of the Lowlands Group’s annual “Holiday Bier” menu at all of their locations. The menu contains many rare and exclusive beers from around the world that the group imports especially for the holiday season.
