The original 'stertabak' ad was painted in 1917, like many 'billboards' at the time. Over time it lost it's shine (and relevance, the brand doesn't exist anymore) but was fairly well preserved because a new house was erected along side the painting. When that building was demolished at the beginning of the century, the ad was visible again. The new owners of this building totally loved the old painting and gave it a new lease on life with artist Ivo Benders from foundation 'Teekens aan de wand' from nearby city Valkenburg.

The building was originally built in 1913 as a cafe and a hair salon with upstairs apartment. A few [fun] facts?
- It was one of the first cafes duren the rise of the mines
- It was a safe house during WWII
- An American soldier used the toilet and lost a hand grenade in the sewer
- In the heyday of the mines, hard workers from far away places inhabited this building
- After the demise of the mines, ladies of easy virtue and addicts inhabited this building

Since 2019, this private home also functions as a B&B, called The Project, with two rooms each having a unique mural in the room. Definitely our favorite location for your night away in Heerlen.