Hakim Ziyech rallies support for Amsterdam flower shop destroyed after 47 years
A fire destroyed a 47-year-old flower shop in Amsterdam. Among the customers affected by the family business’s plight is Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan international has shared a fundraising appeal to help the two owners rebuild their business.
In an old photograph, Hakim Ziyech poses in front of a small Amsterdam shop, holding a large bouquet of flowers. The Moroccan player was a regular at Mandy’s Bloemenshop, a shop in the Schinkelbuurt neighborhood. But on Monday evening, a short circuit in the refrigeration system sparked a fire that destroyed almost everything. Moved by the misfortune of his florists, the former Ajax player shared their fundraiser on Instagram, reports local television AT5.
For Mandy and Kim, the two sisters who run the business, the shock is immense. Their father opened the shop 47 years ago before handing it over to them. Today, Kim’s son also works in the family business, which provides income for three households.
“When I see this, my heart weeps,” Kim says as she stands before the kiosk’s charred remains. The shopkeeper says she initially refused to believe her father when he called to tell her about the fire. It took a call from the police for her to realize that the shop had really gone up in flames.
€80,000 to rebuild an uninsured shop
The problem now is financial. The family must replace the kiosk, the refrigeration system and all the equipment needed to sell flowers. The estimated cost is €80,000. And in an unwelcome surprise, the fire damage is not covered by insurance.
The founder’s grandson has therefore set up a GoFundMe fundraiser. The appeal quickly spread through the neighborhood before being shared by several Dutch public figures, including Hakim Ziyech. More than €28,000 had already been raised by Thursday, October 8, from nearly 500 donors. One anonymous contributor donated €5,000, while influencer Monica Geuze gave €750. The amount of any personal donation from the Moroccan footballer is not known.
Residents of the neighborhood know the shop well; several generations have come there to buy bouquets. Messages of support are pouring in, and the two sisters refuse to give up. Kim even says she could resume selling flowers from a van while waiting for a new premises to become available.
“I really don’t know how we’re going to manage, but we’ve already been through tougher times,” she tells AT5. Their determination is now matched by the support of hundreds of people, including that of a former customer who has become famous.
