Not much has changed in the Belgian capital since 1976. Well, at least not as far as one bar on Rue des Harengs is concerned.
Just a minute away from the crowds of Brussels’ Grand Place is a bar with a wooden exterior and a window displaying well-accessorised skeletons lying inside a coffin.
Next to the display, on an old, dark wooden door, a handwritten sign directs intrigued passersby to an open doorway that leads to a red corridor. The suspenseful entryway is the prelude to entering ‘Le Cercueil’ ('The Coffin' in English).
The corridor to the entrance of the bar. Credit: Rita Alves
Inside, customers are met with warm reddish lights that bring a cosy atmosphere to the dark and gothic decor, featuring coffin tables, crosses, eerie art, and skeletons galore.
Inside 'Le Cercueil'
“It was the previous owner who opened the bar. He had the idea for the theme after he saw the movie ‘The Exorcist’,” said current bar owner, Pierre Masure, 55, referring to the 1973 horror classic.
Born and raised in Brussels, to a Belgian father and Spanish mother, Masure started at the bar in 1995 as a bartender. He took over in 2008, when the previous patron wanted to part ways with Le Cercueil.
Since then, little has changed, apart from the music. “Before it was more gothic music or church music, and now it's more rock,” Masure told The Brussels Times.
(L-R) Pierre Masure, Pierre's partner Sophie, and Pierre's friend Denis
For the owner, a good soundtrack is one of the key elements that keeps customers faithful to the bar. Another element is the drinks.
While Le Cercueil is known for its selection of beers served in skull cups, handmade by a local artist, the cocktails also remain a popular choice. For Masure, this is in part due to their very on-brand names, including the ‘Satan’s spawn’ and ‘Corpse Juice’.
Customers themselves also add to the darker motifs of the bar, with some occasionally leaving behind little drawings which are displayed above the cash register.
The bar displays drawings by customers and staff on one of the walls. Credit: Rita Alves
But despite the darker themes, ‘Le Cercueil’ sees customers of all ages, even attracting families sometimes, according to Masure. “The family spirit is very important in the bar, with the servers, the customers,” he told The Brussels Times.
Inside 'Le Cercueil'
Ultimately, the goal for Masure is to create a space where memories can be made, a goal which he seems to have already achieved.
“Often, we have guests saying they have been coming often for 40 years,” he said. “They say, oh, I came here when I was 20. It brings back good memories.”
Inside 'Le Cercueil'
As the bar approaches its 50th anniversary next year, Masure isn’t yet sure how the monumental occasion will be celebrated.
However, Masure says that an expansion for the bar will likely be underway soon, after he was able to purchase the building that houses 'Le Cercueil' earlier this year. While he admitted he was “a little bit nervous” about it at first, he saw the chance as an important accomplishment after working at the bar for 30 years.
With the extra space, Masure plans to bring even more life to the place. “Since we are going to do one floor more, we will create events, maybe rock concerts or rent rooms for any event, like birthdays,” he said. ”But no exorcisms,” he promptly added.
