I wonder how this coffeshops handle situations where you make a purchase, smoke one and then come back later for another smoke....
I hope they get aware they are loosing customers BIG TIME with actions like this....
Old Church
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smokey_mcpot
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Mon 11th Aug 2008 08:39 pm
I decided to stop in here on my last morning in Amsterdam on my way out. I had 1 hour before I had to catch a train at Centraal, and used everything else I had, so I had no problem buying a pre-rolled. I got a Jack Herrer pre-rolled for 4.50 and a coffee. The joint was fine-it was big but not to strong, still a noticeable high, and the coffee was good.
Maybe it was because it was 11 am on a Sunday morning, but I really liked the atmosphere. Very laid back soft music, bright colors , lots of light, people chatting quietly, someone reading a book. Very relaxed, which is how I like it. My only complaint is the price of the coffee. If I remember correctly it was almost as expensive as the joint-4.00 euros I think.
Maybe it was because it was 11 am on a Sunday morning, but I really liked the atmosphere. Very laid back soft music, bright colors , lots of light, people chatting quietly, someone reading a book. Very relaxed, which is how I like it. My only complaint is the price of the coffee. If I remember correctly it was almost as expensive as the joint-4.00 euros I think.
The Old Church Explained...
The Old Church is really one of the best coffeeshops in town. There are a few reasons why and most where mentioned on here before but the most important reason is that this is the ONLY coffeshop in the centre of the city that is owned by a women. Of course there are ONLY female dealers working here. They seem to have a friendlier and calmer effect on the customers. And this solves at the same time the mystery of the lady’s restroom!
This has been a booming coffeeshop for 30+ years, but times are changing for all the coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Although the government has been collecting huge amounts of tax money from this branch, they are now making it very difficult to own one. In fact they now forcing a discourage-policy in which they are sharpen the rules so when they perform a raid, they can easily shut the coffeeshop down.
Oh yeah, and the smoking tobacco ban hasn’t been helping either!
You can imagine what this does to the coffeeshops and the Old Church is no exception.
However, they do try to make it as comfortable for the customers as they possibly can and all they can do is hope you understand and protest against these ridiculous rules.
It resulted also that they had to make some changes in their house rules.
I have seen some negative words on this page. And I would like explain this:
Not allowed to bring your own weed
A coffeeshop has as its NO 1 product weed and hash. Drinks and other refreshments are coming in second and are NOT the main income or purpose of the coffeeshop.
SO…. If the house rule says you are not allowed to bring you own weed or hash, than respect this. Coffeeshops provide free papers, filters and the Old Church even throws in free use of water pipes and substitute tobacco. The customers who buy deserve to sit at a table. This table should there for not be occupied by the person who brought their own. This is unfair.
If you don’t want to visit the coffeeshop because you can’t bring your own weed than this certainly not means they lost a customer because you simply aren’t a customer. Think about it:
You do not walk into a steak restaurant with you own steak and than order just a cola either.
Make sense? I think it does.
Restroom
They like it clean. Some people (or pigs) think they can wrack it and so when the staff says its broken, its actually not. Chances are that someone left the restroom in such a state that they cant let anyone in without taking serious health risk
.
The upstairs
You will be amazed how many people come in, walk straight up the stairs without any hello and sit their behinds down with their own weed and a supermarket bag full with their own refreshments. For this reason we like to welcome you first so they make sure their customers have a front row seat. The people that are not willing to buy anything (!), are kindly advised to visit the Vondelpark for their picknick.
Pricing
Due to the fact that most growers are getting caught the price per Kg has doubled the last 3 years. They even have a snitch-number for people who suspect their weed-growing neighbour. So you understand we are still happy to smoke but we just pay a little more per gram.
Old Church coffee isnt just any coffee. They import their beans straight from Italy for an amazing, tasty and strong coffee. They serve latté's, cappuchino, espresso, machiato, caramelatto etc. They arent tiny either like most,but you will always get and XL-cup. They separate themselfs from other, automatic machine serving, coffeeshops. See it as Starbucks vs train station automatic coffee.... This of course results in a slightly higher price.
The Old Church holds their customers in high regards and always has been. They serve good weed or hash for a still friendly price with a very (if not the most) diverse menu.
I know because I worked there many years with the up most pleasure!
I would like to take this chance to thank all the customers for those wonderful, high and good times. And special thanks for the baby-shower gifts I have received from many of you.
Stay Smoking!
Wendy – The Old church
[/b]
This has been a booming coffeeshop for 30+ years, but times are changing for all the coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Although the government has been collecting huge amounts of tax money from this branch, they are now making it very difficult to own one. In fact they now forcing a discourage-policy in which they are sharpen the rules so when they perform a raid, they can easily shut the coffeeshop down.
Oh yeah, and the smoking tobacco ban hasn’t been helping either!
You can imagine what this does to the coffeeshops and the Old Church is no exception.
However, they do try to make it as comfortable for the customers as they possibly can and all they can do is hope you understand and protest against these ridiculous rules.
It resulted also that they had to make some changes in their house rules.
I have seen some negative words on this page. And I would like explain this:
Not allowed to bring your own weed
A coffeeshop has as its NO 1 product weed and hash. Drinks and other refreshments are coming in second and are NOT the main income or purpose of the coffeeshop.
SO…. If the house rule says you are not allowed to bring you own weed or hash, than respect this. Coffeeshops provide free papers, filters and the Old Church even throws in free use of water pipes and substitute tobacco. The customers who buy deserve to sit at a table. This table should there for not be occupied by the person who brought their own. This is unfair.
If you don’t want to visit the coffeeshop because you can’t bring your own weed than this certainly not means they lost a customer because you simply aren’t a customer. Think about it:
You do not walk into a steak restaurant with you own steak and than order just a cola either.
Make sense? I think it does.
Restroom
They like it clean. Some people (or pigs) think they can wrack it and so when the staff says its broken, its actually not. Chances are that someone left the restroom in such a state that they cant let anyone in without taking serious health risk
.The upstairs
You will be amazed how many people come in, walk straight up the stairs without any hello and sit their behinds down with their own weed and a supermarket bag full with their own refreshments. For this reason we like to welcome you first so they make sure their customers have a front row seat. The people that are not willing to buy anything (!), are kindly advised to visit the Vondelpark for their picknick.
Pricing
Due to the fact that most growers are getting caught the price per Kg has doubled the last 3 years. They even have a snitch-number for people who suspect their weed-growing neighbour. So you understand we are still happy to smoke but we just pay a little more per gram.
Old Church coffee isnt just any coffee. They import their beans straight from Italy for an amazing, tasty and strong coffee. They serve latté's, cappuchino, espresso, machiato, caramelatto etc. They arent tiny either like most,but you will always get and XL-cup. They separate themselfs from other, automatic machine serving, coffeeshops. See it as Starbucks vs train station automatic coffee.... This of course results in a slightly higher price.
The Old Church holds their customers in high regards and always has been. They serve good weed or hash for a still friendly price with a very (if not the most) diverse menu.
I know because I worked there many years with the up most pleasure!
I would like to take this chance to thank all the customers for those wonderful, high and good times. And special thanks for the baby-shower gifts I have received from many of you.
Stay Smoking!
Wendy – The Old church
[/b]
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TwoCanucks
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Tue 10th Feb 2009 01:03 am
- Location: Amsterdamage
Re: The Old Church Explained...
Kudos to you for reading and responding to your customers and their feedback.
I wonder how many other shops actually read or care about their reviews.
TC
I wonder how many other shops actually read or care about their reviews.
TC
Cannakid wrote:The Old Church is really one of the best coffeeshops in town. There are a few reasons why and most where mentioned on here before but the most important reason is that this is the ONLY coffeshop in the centre of the city that is owned by a women. Of course there are ONLY female dealers working here. They seem to have a friendlier and calmer effect on the customers. And this solves at the same time the mystery of the lady’s restroom!
This has been a booming coffeeshop for 30+ years, but times are changing for all the coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Although the government has been collecting huge amounts of tax money from this branch, they are now making it very difficult to own one. In fact they now forcing a discourage-policy in which they are sharpen the rules so when they perform a raid, they can easily shut the coffeeshop down.
Oh yeah, and the smoking tobacco ban hasn’t been helping either!
You can imagine what this does to the coffeeshops and the Old Church is no exception.
However, they do try to make it as comfortable for the customers as they possibly can and all they can do is hope you understand and protest against these ridiculous rules.
It resulted also that they had to make some changes in their house rules.
I have seen some negative words on this page. And I would like explain this:
Not allowed to bring your own weed
A coffeeshop has as its NO 1 product weed and hash. Drinks and other refreshments are coming in second and are NOT the main income or purpose of the coffeeshop.
SO…. If the house rule says you are not allowed to bring you own weed or hash, than respect this. Coffeeshops provide free papers, filters and the Old Church even throws in free use of water pipes and substitute tobacco. The customers who buy deserve to sit at a table. This table should there for not be occupied by the person who brought their own. This is unfair.
If you don’t want to visit the coffeeshop because you can’t bring your own weed than this certainly not means they lost a customer because you simply aren’t a customer. Think about it:
You do not walk into a steak restaurant with you own steak and than order just a cola either.
Make sense? I think it does.
Restroom
They like it clean. Some people (or pigs) think they can wrack it and so when the staff says its broken, its actually not. Chances are that someone left the restroom in such a state that they cant let anyone in without taking serious health risk
The upstairs
You will be amazed how many people come in, walk straight up the stairs without any hello and sit their behinds down with their own weed and a supermarket bag full with their own refreshments. For this reason we like to welcome you first so they make sure their customers have a front row seat. The people that are not willing to buy anything (!), are kindly advised to visit the Vondelpark for their picknick.
Pricing
Due to the fact that most growers are getting caught the price per Kg has doubled the last 3 years. They even have a snitch-number for people who suspect their weed-growing neighbour. So you understand we are still happy to smoke but we just pay a little more per gram.
Old Church coffee isnt just any coffee. They import their beans straight from Italy for an amazing, tasty and strong coffee. They serve latté's, cappuchino, espresso, machiato, caramelatto etc. They arent tiny either like most,but you will always get and XL-cup. They separate themselfs from other, automatic machine serving, coffeeshops. See it as Starbucks vs train station automatic coffee.... This of course results in a slightly higher price.
The Old Church holds their customers in high regards and always has been. They serve good weed or hash for a still friendly price with a very (if not the most) diverse menu.
I know because I worked there many years with the up most pleasure!
I would like to take this chance to thank all the customers for those wonderful, high and good times. And special thanks for the baby-shower gifts I have received from many of you.
Stay Smoking!
Wendy – The Old church
[/b]
Amsterdam dreaming.............
-
murphyscafe
- Posts: 955
- Joined: Thu 29th May 2008 05:48 am
- Location: SLonDoN
Re: The Old Church Explained...
i think this is good too!!!TwoCanucks wrote:Kudos to you for reading and responding to your customers and their feedback.
I wonder how many other shops actually read or care about their reviews.
TC
Cannakid wrote:The Old Church is really one of the best coffeeshops in town. There are a few reasons why and most where mentioned on here before but the most important reason is that this is the ONLY coffeshop in the centre of the city that is owned by a women. Of course there are ONLY female dealers working here. They seem to have a friendlier and calmer effect on the customers. And this solves at the same time the mystery of the lady’s restroom!
This has been a booming coffeeshop for 30+ years, but times are changing for all the coffeeshops in Amsterdam. Although the government has been collecting huge amounts of tax money from this branch, they are now making it very difficult to own one. In fact they now forcing a discourage-policy in which they are sharpen the rules so when they perform a raid, they can easily shut the coffeeshop down.
Oh yeah, and the smoking tobacco ban hasn’t been helping either!
You can imagine what this does to the coffeeshops and the Old Church is no exception.
However, they do try to make it as comfortable for the customers as they possibly can and all they can do is hope you understand and protest against these ridiculous rules.
It resulted also that they had to make some changes in their house rules.
I have seen some negative words on this page. And I would like explain this:
Not allowed to bring your own weed
A coffeeshop has as its NO 1 product weed and hash. Drinks and other refreshments are coming in second and are NOT the main income or purpose of the coffeeshop.
SO…. If the house rule says you are not allowed to bring you own weed or hash, than respect this. Coffeeshops provide free papers, filters and the Old Church even throws in free use of water pipes and substitute tobacco. The customers who buy deserve to sit at a table. This table should there for not be occupied by the person who brought their own. This is unfair.
If you don’t want to visit the coffeeshop because you can’t bring your own weed than this certainly not means they lost a customer because you simply aren’t a customer. Think about it:
You do not walk into a steak restaurant with you own steak and than order just a cola either.
Make sense? I think it does.
Restroom
They like it clean. Some people (or pigs) think they can wrack it and so when the staff says its broken, its actually not. Chances are that someone left the restroom in such a state that they cant let anyone in without taking serious health risk
The upstairs
You will be amazed how many people come in, walk straight up the stairs without any hello and sit their behinds down with their own weed and a supermarket bag full with their own refreshments. For this reason we like to welcome you first so they make sure their customers have a front row seat. The people that are not willing to buy anything (!), are kindly advised to visit the Vondelpark for their picknick.
Pricing
Due to the fact that most growers are getting caught the price per Kg has doubled the last 3 years. They even have a snitch-number for people who suspect their weed-growing neighbour. So you understand we are still happy to smoke but we just pay a little more per gram.
Old Church coffee isnt just any coffee. They import their beans straight from Italy for an amazing, tasty and strong coffee. They serve latté's, cappuchino, espresso, machiato, caramelatto etc. They arent tiny either like most,but you will always get and XL-cup. They separate themselfs from other, automatic machine serving, coffeeshops. See it as Starbucks vs train station automatic coffee.... This of course results in a slightly higher price.
The Old Church holds their customers in high regards and always has been. They serve good weed or hash for a still friendly price with a very (if not the most) diverse menu.
I know because I worked there many years with the up most pleasure!
I would like to take this chance to thank all the customers for those wonderful, high and good times. And special thanks for the baby-shower gifts I have received from many of you.
Stay Smoking!
Wendy – The Old church
[/b]
one thing though!
they say that theirs is the ONLY cs owned by a woman, i thought Amnesia was owned by a woman also?!?!? this makes me wonder!
----------------
"Toke on John"
"Toke on John"
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echc1
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Mon 12th Feb 2007 08:28 pm
- Location: somewhere out there beyond the normal people
love the coffee in this shop plus if you get near the front you can amuse yourself people watching while enjoying good coffee...its a no-nonsense kinda place as i saw when some guy tried to bring a half drunk beer in and the lady ejected the drunk...it's been 18 months since i was there so i can't comment on how the smoke is now....but the hash was nice back then
Sorry, I've worked in retail establishments as a manager/owner all my life and your "reasoning" is terrible. ANY time you turn a potential paying customer away, you are hurting your business. Plain and simple. You can make all the rationalizations you want, but it's all bull.
Your steak analogy is terrible. What if I was a customer who ALREADY ATE, but wants a drink at your bar? You're going to ask me to leave because I'm not ALSO buying steak?
I WAS going to stop in here on my upcoming trip, but now I will not. I have no idea if I would have bought weed or hash, but now I definitely will not. I would have certainly purchased a coffee at least, and there's your loss. If I was enjoying myself, I would have been tempted to try something off the menu as well. If every person you turn away is willing to plunk down 4 euros for coffee, you're throwing a LOT of money away. What is the mark up on coffee? 300%? 400%?
What I see is a greedy establishment that doesn't see how they are actually hurting their bottom line. By turning away people who are not buying weed, you are NOT increasing the number of people who do - all you are doing is DECREASING OVERALL REVENUE. Stupid, short-sighted, and obviously a move based on emotion, not business savvy. For some reason, you are annoyed, offended, or just pissed by people who you feel are offensive because they don't buy off your menu, even though they are spending money on other things in your establishment.
Maybe if the quality of your wares was better this wouldn't be such an issue.
Making excuses about your prices and reasoning are just that - excuses.
Your steak analogy is terrible. What if I was a customer who ALREADY ATE, but wants a drink at your bar? You're going to ask me to leave because I'm not ALSO buying steak?
I WAS going to stop in here on my upcoming trip, but now I will not. I have no idea if I would have bought weed or hash, but now I definitely will not. I would have certainly purchased a coffee at least, and there's your loss. If I was enjoying myself, I would have been tempted to try something off the menu as well. If every person you turn away is willing to plunk down 4 euros for coffee, you're throwing a LOT of money away. What is the mark up on coffee? 300%? 400%?
What I see is a greedy establishment that doesn't see how they are actually hurting their bottom line. By turning away people who are not buying weed, you are NOT increasing the number of people who do - all you are doing is DECREASING OVERALL REVENUE. Stupid, short-sighted, and obviously a move based on emotion, not business savvy. For some reason, you are annoyed, offended, or just pissed by people who you feel are offensive because they don't buy off your menu, even though they are spending money on other things in your establishment.
Maybe if the quality of your wares was better this wouldn't be such an issue.
Making excuses about your prices and reasoning are just that - excuses.
Why drink and drive when you can smoke and fly?
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liquidSwords
- Posts: 1400
- Joined: Sun 11th Jan 2009 11:21 am
- Location: East London
Re: The Old Church Explained...
The Old Church is one of the only shops i've handed weed back to the dealer and walked out. And i'll explain why:Cannakid wrote:
I have seen some negative words on this page. And I would like explain this:
Not allowed to bring your own weed
A coffeeshop has as its NO 1 product weed and hash. Drinks and other refreshments are coming in second and are NOT the main income or purpose of the coffeeshop.
SO…. If the house rule says you are not allowed to bring you own weed or hash, than respect this. Coffeeshops provide free papers, filters and the Old Church even throws in free use of water pipes and substitute tobacco. The customers who buy deserve to sit at a table. This table should there for not be occupied by the person who brought their own. This is unfair.
If you don’t want to visit the coffeeshop because you can’t bring your own weed than this certainly not means they lost a customer because you simply aren’t a customer. Think about it:
You do not walk into a steak restaurant with you own steak and than order just a cola either.
Make sense? I think it does.
We were in a group of 4 and quite late in the night and decided to stop in Old Church for a spliff and a drink.Didnt wanna buy weed so i bought a drink while my other 3 friends decided what to buy, i was told I MUST buy weed to sit at one of the many empty seats they had upstairs, so ok, i dont mind sampling a bit of their weed, so i look on the menu and decide on 1g of something (cant remember, it didnt stand out) only to be told they only have 2g bags left, NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR MENU, so I tell the lady nope i dont want no weed, i will drink my drink and go...
As for your steak comparison... hmmm, how many people eat half a steak and then put it in their pocket and stop off somewhere else to finish it??? But on the other hand, how many people buy a bag of weed and use half of it and put the rest in their pocket. u following.
You say the coffeeshop provides papers etc etc, like your the only shop that does this, correct me if im wrong, but EVERY shop offers free papers etc. so that is not really helping your 'cause'.
It doesnt matter what I buy in your shop, whether its a weed/hash, a drink or a bloody lighter, im still bringing your shop business. When i came with my friends, I as a customer was served a drink and THEN told i cant sit without buying some weed. However some of my friends bought some weed so again i contributed to your profits for bringing my friends to the shop. So what if my 3 friends bought a gram each and i bought a round of drinks (4 drinks) am i not allowed to sit with my friends as i've purchased no weed (but probably spent more than them in the shop).... the whole concept of not allowing people to smoke their own weed in your shop is bullshit...... and your explainations are even worse lol, just trying to cover your own hard up back!!!
You obviously have no customer service:- think of this:-
I come into your shop and initially buy no weed because i have a spliff, or my friend is buying a gram in your shop etc. But after having a good chilled time and smoking this spliff with my friend and liking the weed/hash i will come and buy some, and then you would be getting a better review from me, ever thought of that aye?? guess not
Think i'll pop into the Bulldog next time lol
Last edited by liquidSwords on Thu 30th Apr 2009 05:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Excuse me while I light my Spliff.....
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liquidSwords
- Posts: 1400
- Joined: Sun 11th Jan 2009 11:21 am
- Location: East London
Could have easily put all this in my post, but luckily you had already wrote it and probably better than me, after my experience in there i would not recomend this shop to anyoneZBeebs wrote:Sorry, I've worked in retail establishments as a manager/owner all my life and your "reasoning" is terrible. ANY time you turn a potential paying customer away, you are hurting your business. Plain and simple. You can make all the rationalizations you want, but it's all bull.
Your steak analogy is terrible. What if I was a customer who ALREADY ATE, but wants a drink at your bar? You're going to ask me to leave because I'm not ALSO buying steak?
I WAS going to stop in here on my upcoming trip, but now I will not. I have no idea if I would have bought weed or hash, but now I definitely will not. I would have certainly purchased a coffee at least, and there's your loss. If I was enjoying myself, I would have been tempted to try something off the menu as well. If every person you turn away is willing to plunk down 4 euros for coffee, you're throwing a LOT of money away. What is the mark up on coffee? 300%? 400%?
What I see is a greedy establishment that doesn't see how they are actually hurting their bottom line. By turning away people who are not buying weed, you are NOT increasing the number of people who do - all you are doing is DECREASING OVERALL REVENUE. Stupid, short-sighted, and obviously a move based on emotion, not business savvy. For some reason, you are annoyed, offended, or just pissed by people who you feel are offensive because they don't buy off your menu, even though they are spending money on other things in your establishment.
Maybe if the quality of your wares was better this wouldn't be such an issue.
Making excuses about your prices and reasoning are just that - excuses.
Excuse me while I light my Spliff.....
-
Pauli Wallnuts
- Posts: 2999
- Joined: Sat 28th Mar 2009 04:19 pm
- Location: South London
-
liquidSwords
- Posts: 1400
- Joined: Sun 11th Jan 2009 11:21 am
- Location: East London
Oh yeah, well, i was drinking that before I was told about the buying weed policy!!! Extortion or what man... lol... more fool me for actually paying that price for a lil drink in the first place ( i think i needed a drink tho, throat dry n all dat)lolPauli Wallnuts wrote:Liquidswords im still shocked at £3 for a looza, we should have laughed in their face & walked away
Wont be back in the Old Church
Excuse me while I light my Spliff.....
