WILLEMSTAD - On New Year's Day, Karel Vreugdenhil, the director of the well-known Vreugdenhil Supermarket in Dominguito, has passed away. This news was announced through the supermarket's Facebook page. Vreugdenhil Supermarket, a family business that has been in existence for over ninety years, was originally founded by Karel's father, Frans Vreugdenhil, on De Ruyterkade in Punda.
That was in 1931. The store was innovative at the time because it was one of the first without a counter. Frans Vreugdenhil came to Curaçao in the twenties as a captain with the Royal Dutch Steamship Company. After his arrival, he met his future wife and decided to stay on the island.
In the fifties, Frans expanded his business by opening multiple supermarkets in locations such as Marie Pompoen, Ansinghstraat, Colon, and a self-service store in Dominguito, where the current main branch of Vreugdenhil is located. The store on Ansinghstraat was lost during the uprising of May 30, 1969.
Vreugdenhil Supermarket has always remained a family business. Karel Vreugdenhil took over from his father Frans but chose to focus on one supermarket. Today, the store is run by the third generation of the Vreugdenhil family: Mariela, Captain Frans's granddaughter, and her cousin, Alan Evertsz. The company employs around 120 workers.
Karel Vreugdenhil was 82 years old. His passing marks the end of an era for the renowned supermarket, which has played a significant role in the community of Curaçao.