Gold in the mouth

Below the town church of the small town pearl Calw And right next to the Hermann Hesse Museum, on the ground floor of the half-timbered house at Marktplatz 32, is the Café Goldmund run by Clara Heger.

The name is doubly fitting, being both a book title by Hermann Hesse and reflecting the café 's motto, "Coffee hour has gold in your mouth ." A delicate touch of gold shimmers here and there in the decor. The style is urban and modern, featuring plenty of greenery and a huge chandelier. There are cozy seating areas for two, as well as larger tables for small groups.

In summer and on beautiful autumn days, you can sit right outside on the terrace , which, with its cozy tables and seating, invites you to gaze out over the historic, half-timbered market square . It's a wonderful place to sit. The town center is a pedestrian zone, and only the occasional car drives by.

Clara Heger herself is a 24-year- old woman with a confident and cheerful demeanor. Her enthusiasm for her café project is immediately apparent. Her dress has a few flour splatters when we meet. She comes straight from the kitchen, where a banana bread is baking. Her concept for the small menu, she says, is seasonal, regional, and simply creative . She also goes to the weekly market, which takes place right outside her door every Saturday. Serving good and healthy food to her guests is important to her. Anything that doesn't come from local suppliers is at least fair trade and organic.

Her journey to becoming a café owner is as unusual as it is impressive. When the opportunity arose to take over the previous café, she was still at university in Weingarten, having just earned her bachelor's degree in teaching. Clara seized the opportunity, driven by the conviction that "no nail salon" should move into this beautiful location, and sought advice from the family's tax advisor. Her parents had no objections, as they were both self-employed, Clara explained. The only one who had reservations was her grandmother. But even she was quickly won over and gave her blessing to her young granddaughter. Things can happen that quickly!

From the very beginning, Clara Heger believed in her success. "Otherwise," she says confidently, "there's no point in even starting!" After just under a year, she can already take stock, and it's far better than she expected. The café is in Calw It's been a hit. It has a broad clientele. From old to young – everyone is there. Drink coffee Going to breakfast used to be the older generation's thing, now it's young mothers who come for breakfast. Have breakfast Walking is the new drinking coffee, according to Clara Heger.

With her permanent employee Sarah and a core group of girls who want to earn some extra money, the 24-year-old runs her café and is sure that she will still be here in 10 years.

Incidentally, Klara bakes most of her cakes herself , which completely surprised one of her coffee shop customers, she says. In the beautiful display case are coffee-walnut cake, plum cake, carrot cake, cheesecake, and soon, the already deliciously fragrant banana bread fresh from the oven.