The Beginning, 1904
Thursday, 15 September 1904. Andries Gaastra opens his shop selling clocks and sowing machines. Two years later he expands his assortment with bicycles of (back then) well-known, German brand Presto. Quickly this brand is superseded by there own brand, Batavus.
1917 Growing in difficult times
Batavus takes over a bicycle factory and keeps growing. The 1930’s crisis stops the growth. But because of their inventive minds Batavus also starts producing carrier tricycles, motorcycles and ice skates. In this matter Batavus keeps growing and by 1940 employs – including Andries Gaastra’s sons Gerrit and Hans – 120 people.
