Georges & Madeleine
Guests at Georges&Madeleine are welcomed by the founding father and mother of Aalst’s most vibrant shopping street. Georges Kiekens (°1905) and Madeleine De Backer (°1906), the grandparents of host Philippe, took residence in the Molenstraat in 1958.
Georges worked at the power plant and co-created steam induced electricity, locally referred to as ‘Intervapeur’. Georges also was the loving anchor of his entrepreneurial wife Madeleine. He ran a couple of successful catering and hospitality establishments before starting her own fabric store during World War II. A natural choice as the daughter of a tailor.
Credits to Georges and Madeleine’s son and master tailor, Paul, the fabric store flourished into a renowed studio and clothing store. The shop specialised in tailored men’s wear and women’s raincoats. Philippe followed his father’s tailored footsteps and closed their store in 2008.
Philippe and his wife Francine converted the Georges&Madeleine property in 4 luxury guest rooms in the city centre.
“I have lived in the Molenstraat for most of my life and I owe a lot to my grandparents Georges&Madeleine. It was a no brainer to name our new adventure after them. The rooms refer to our history in fabrics. The Intervapeur is named in honour of my grandfather”, Philippe says.