NL Mens en Kinders in Zwolle combines a café with a children’s shop, play area, activities, and parental advice. The article describes the concept, the coffee offering, and public attention in 2026.
About Mens & Kinders
Mens & Kinders in Zwolle: Coffee Bar Within a Broader Family Concept
Mens & Kinders is located at Assendorperstraat 66 in Zwolle, in the Assendorp neighborhood. The location is described as a physical shop, café, and gym. As such, the venue falls not only within the coffee sector but also within the market for children’s products, parental advice, and activities for young families.
Origins and Current Leadership
The original founders behind Mens & Kinders were Jorien Leidekker and Jiska Cremers-van der Lee. In historical crowdfunding materials, they were described as mothers of young children. The initiative aligned with a broader vision: a place where shopping, coffee, play, and advice come together.
In public reporting from 2026, Giulia van der Hulst is named as the owner of Mens & Kinders. An exact public opening date for the coffee bar is not documented in the available materials. However, one source mentioned that Mens & Kinders had been located in the former paint and wallpaper building for four years. That source did not provide a publication date in the referenced text.
Concept: café, shop, and play area
The concept of Mens & Kinders consists of several components. The location combines a children’s shop with a café, a play area or gym, advice on babywearing and breastfeeding, and activities for children and parents. The shop focuses on products for babies and children, including toys, children’s books, baby clothing, and maternity gifts.
The gym plays a clear role within the concept. When there are no classes, the space can be used for free play. A contribution of €3.50 per child is mentioned for this purpose. On Saturdays and during school holidays, Mens & Kinders can use the Torteltuin, the playground of the Jenapleinschool, when the weather is suitable.
Coffee and café offerings
The café uses coffee beans from DutchBeans. On the webshop, the product “250gr DutchBeans Koffiebonen ‘Subtiel’” is noted to be the same beans served in the café. This publicly documents the coffee supplier. Further information about origin, roast profile, or coffee-specific sustainability choices is not available in the provided materials.
The documented drink menu includes coffee, cappuccino, tea, and juice. Additionally, the café page and the page about the play café mention cake or pastries. According to available information, the cake is freshly baked by Tante Taart in the Mens & Kinders kitchen. No concrete information is documented regarding brewing methods beyond the presence of a coffee bar or coffee machine.
Activities and parent advice
Mens & Kinders organizes recurring activities that align with the combination of café and gym. Mentioned are music classes on Monday mornings, dance classes on Wednesday afternoons, musical theatre classes on Thursday afternoons, and toddler gym on Friday mornings. This programming makes the location a place where hospitality and children’s activities intersect.
In addition, Mens & Kinders is described as a breastfeeding center. Courses are offered, and visitors can ask questions about breastfeeding. Advice on babywearing, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenting also appears in external mentions. Thus, the focus is not solely on hospitality, but on broader use by parents and young children.
Sustainability and Sourcing
The website speaks of sustainable items for babies and children. Mentioned are open-ended toys, children’s books, baby clothing, and maternity gifts. For coffee, only the supplier DutchBeans is documented in the available materials. Other coffee-specific data, such as certification, direct trade, or origin by country, are not documented.
Public attention in 2026
In February 2026, Mens & Kinders received national attention following an INretail award. The business was named the national overall winner and the winner in the “Baby & Children” category. Reporting on this appeared in regional media and in an entrepreneur publication featuring Giulia van der Hulst and colleague Marleen Stouwdam.
Earlier public mentions date back to 2021, when the combination of shopping, playing, coffee, and homemade cake was described. The café page also shows a Restaurant Guru mention from 2022. These mentions place Mens & Kinders in a segment where coffee is part of a broader local concept, aimed at parents, children, and neighborhood use.