HOLLAND RETAIL NEWS July 2019
McGregor, Dungelmann Shoes, Decathlon, Primark, Hudson’s Bay and Ikea have all been making news here in the Netherlands in July with store openings, closures, bankruptcy proceedings, new distribution centers and more…
MCGREGOR TO OPEN 4 STORES IN NETHERLANDS
Dutch fashion lifestyle brand McGregor, which went bankrupt last year, will be returning to the market with the opening of 4 stores in the Netherlands. Between mid-September and mid-October, McGregor stores will open in Amsterdam (Van Baerlestraat), Rotterdam (Karel Doormanstraat), The Hague (Hoogstraat) and Breda. The first three are company-owned stores while the Breda store and two additional Belgium locations are franchised.
HUDSON’S BAY OPENS OUTLETS
Following the closing of the two Saks Off 5th designer off-price stores in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in June, the two spaces will now house Hudson’s Bay Outlet centers. The Rotterdam space has already been converted and is located in the lower level of the main Hudson’s Bay department store (Beurs Galeria). In Amsterdam, the space is located in the Kalverpassage center across from the flower market. The Hudson’s Bay Outlet will fill a portion of the former Saks Off 5th store with the remainder being used for a new flagship store by fashion retailer The Sting.
DUNGELMANN DUTCH SHOE CHAIN BANKRUPT
The Dungelmann shoe chain was declared bankrupt on 16th July. The well-established Dutch footwear retailer has 15 stores in the Netherlands including Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Den Bosch. The stores remain open until a decision is made regarding a restart.
PRIMARK TO OPEN A THIRD STORE IN ROTTERDAM
Primark will add a third store in Rotterdam at the end of next year which will be the centerpiece of the Forum Rotterdam mixed-use center currently under construction. Rotterdam is where the company first entered the Dutch market some ten years ago (Alexandrium Shopping Mall). Once completed, the store will be the second largest Primark in Holland at 7,572 m2, behind only the Amsterdam Damrak store in size. The Forum Rotterdam center will transform the former ABN AMRO headquarters building and surroundings on the west side of the Coolsingel, creating a better flow and visual connection between the Beurs and the Lijnbaan, Karel Doormanstraat and Binnenwegplein shopping streets.
IKEA GRONINGEN IS TEST STORE
Ikea Groningen is the first Ikea in the world to be used for testing the Swedish home furnishings company’s new floor layout which is sorted by price point.
ZALANDO BUILDING DC NEAR ROTTERDAM
German fashion e-tailer Zalando is building a new distribution center in the South Holland city of Bleiswijk. In addition to servicing the Dutch market, which has grown significantly in recent years and accounted for some €670 million in revenue in 2018, it will also handle orders shipping to Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain and the UK. The distribution center will be 140,000 m2, employ 1,500 workers and be powered with sustainable energy generated by solar panels. It is expected to be operational by 2021.
DECATHLON STILL FIGHTING TO OPEN STORE
Sporting goods retailer Decathlon has been trying for years to get the necessary approval needed to open a large sports ‘experience center’ in The Hague Forepark, near the Cars Jeans Stadium. While the city’s municipal council supported the plan, it was opposed by the provincial board. It believes that allowing retailers (other than furniture and automotive) to open stores in outlying areas will detrimentally impact city center shopping districts, leading to higher vacancy rates. Decathlon argued that their experience centers require large amounts of space under one roof which is not available in the city center. A final hearing on the matter earlier this month provided mixed results for Decathlon. Its application to build an experience center in The Hague Forepark was denied, but an alternative location in the Rotterdam area was presented. Decathlon will now build an experience center at Sportspark Harga in Schiedam.
COEF MEN TO OPEN LEIDEN STORE
Upscale Dutch men’s clothing retailer Coef Men will be doubling its store count next Spring when it opens a 300 m2 store in Utrecht (Oudegracht) and a 400 m2 store in Leiden (Haarlemmerstraat). The retailer currently operates locations in Nijmegen and Arnhem.
BRITISH XUPES OPENS IN AMSTERDAM
British luxury e-tailer Xupes, which specializes in vintage handbags, watches and luxury jewelry, has opened a store in Amsterdam. It is the company’s first store outside the UK and is located on the Van Eeghenstraat next to Vondelpark.
LEGO TO OPEN FIRST TWO COMPANY-OWNED DUTCH STORES
Danish building-toy brand Lego will open its first two company-owned stores in the Netherlands later this year in time for the holidays in Amsterdam and Utrecht. The Dutch Lego stores that currently operate are franchised businesses.
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