Blokker to sell off subsidiaries in Belgium

The Dutch-owned retail chain Blokker has announced that it will close a further 100 stores and sell all of its subsidiary chains, which include toy shop Bart Smit and furniture outlet Leen Bakker. The closures are mainly in the Netherlands, but the sale of subsidiaries will affect jobs in Flanders.

In February, Blokker announced it would close 69 of the 190 stores it operates in Belgium, affecting some one-third of the chain’s 900 jobs in the country. However, the chain also plans to divest itself of its subsidiary brands, including Intertoys, Maxi Toys, Bart Smit and Leen Bakker.

While the new Blokker closure announcement affects mainly Dutch operations, the sell-off of subsidiaries will also affect Flemish shops. “The idea is to sell off surplus retail companies intact,” Blokker Holding, the parent company, said.

Staff would be taken in by the new owners, Blokker said, a situation that affects some 13,500 employees. After the sales, Blokker intends to renovate its remaining stores and continue under one brand only.

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