Imagine running the only coffeeshop in town, then finding out the permit is going back into a selection process. That's the situation in Lisse, where the municipality allows a maximum of one coffeeshop. Applications for the new permit round closed on October 5. Eligible candidates enter a lottery that determines who gets assessed first. It isn't a competition to see who can come up with the best strain name.
The current operator of Happy Days, on Heereweg, isn't thrilled. He told local councillors in September that he'd bought the business in 2024 and invested heavily in it. Why no special arrangement for someone already running the shop? That was his question. The mayor replied that the upcoming policy had been known when the operator took over. Before a new permit can be issued, applicants face checks on their location, business plans and integrity. The permit awarded through this process can last ten years.
There's an important detail here: Happy Days hasn't been ordered to close tomorrow. Its published operating permit runs from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027. And there was no confirmed winner in the latest official material we checked. For a town with one coffeeshop, a lot may depend on paperwork, a draw and some fairly serious background checks. The current owner can only watch the process unfold.
