During off-peak hours, hospitality chain Mooie Boules repurposes venues as community hubs

Mooie Boules, a Dutch hospitality company built around jeu de boules and other games, is tackling isolation and division in an unexpected way: by handing over its venues.

Through a newly established foundation called Mooie Buurt ("beautiful neighborhood"), all nine of its locations across the Netherlands will be available free of charge during daytime hours for community groups and residents who want to bring people together. No rental fees, no minimum spend — just space, games and drinks provided at no cost to anyone organizing events that foster connection.

Through the foundation, each venue doubles as a commercial bar in the evenings and a community hub during the day. A pilot program last year hosted 50 social initiatives, generating 5,500 new encounters, with 45% of participants reporting they felt more connected to their neighborhoods afterward. With half a million annual visitors across its locations, Mooie Boules is betting its scale and foot traffic can amplify impact where government programs fall short.