Showing grit: Holland café owner talks 20 years in business
HOLLAND — Tucked away on the southside of Holland sits a café some locals refer to as a hidden gem.
Carol Witteveen opened Way Cup Café at 501 W. 17th St. in 2004. The shop offers a change of pace in Southshore Village, selling everything from coffee and espresso to fruit smoothies and shakes, plus a full menu.
Witteveen opened the café after years of running other coffee shops in the area, including Joe2Go.
“I was managing these places by myself and I just decided to open up my own,” Witteveen told The Sentinel. “I just live a mile and a half down the road, so it's perfect — and now we're going on 19 years.”
She's collected personal touches over the years, from local artwork to a Glasgow bumper sticker. But it's the story behind the business that truly makes it special, because Witteveen almost wasn't here at all.
Born in Scotland, Witteveen came to the United States after her mother married a man in the Navy. They lived in a couple of different places, but ultimately settled in his hometown, Holland.
Then, at 17, she was in a car accident at the intersection of Riley Street and U.S.-31.
“My death certificate was filled out and everything,” Witteveen said. “I had a third-degree subdural hematoma, which is when the side of your brain is bleeding.”
She also suffered multiple breaks in her pelvis and hip and lost her spleen. Doctors didn't think Witteveen would survive. They drilled three holes to release the blood in her brain. And then, somehow, she lived.
Witteveen said she pushed herself during physical therapy, putting in the work so she could walk again. Today, she still goes to Holland Aquatic Center to stay active and work her joints.
That determination came in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Witteveen and her son, Austyn, kept the business alive by leaning on their drive-thru.
“Without the drive-thru, I wouldn’t be here right now," she said.
As Witteveen looks to the future, she's excited to see what comes next. She hopes Way Cup Café can continue to be a place where customers make friends while enjoying a tasty treat.
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"I'm just grateful for all my great customers," she said. “Thank you so much, thank you so much for coming out and supporting me."
For more information, visit 4waycup.com.
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Showing grit: Holland café owner talks 20 years in business
