“We wish everyone a lot of shopping pleasure,” says the branch manager at the opening against the NOS. Since April she has been working with her team to reopen the store in Bovenkarspel. “We are really a household specialist with more an eye for the customer.”
Rising debts and competition
The originally Horinese store chain has been completely redesigned in recent months. Customers can go there for the well-known Blokker items such as cleaning wipes, pans and small household electricity. But there is also room for new items, such as odor sticks and steam devices, intended for a younger generation. According to the store manager, the goal is clear: more attention for the customer and a recognizable, practical store.
Blokker’s bankruptcy in November was a big blow. The chain, once good for around 400 stores in the Netherlands, could no longer cope with rising debts and increasing competition. Roland Palmer, cousin of the founders and former CEO, decided to pick up the thread again. Under his leadership, Blokker now makes a cautious restart.
‘Blokker is just Blokker’
Also in Amsterdam today the orange flags are hanging out At two locations: on the Haarlemmerdijk and the Rozengracht. Only locations that played well earlier are eligible for reopening.
In the coming weeks, the number of open stores will grow to forty, on top of around forty franchise stores that have already remained open.
The reception in Bovenkarspel is warm. “I missed the Blokker,” says an older woman. Another adds: “I’ve always liked to come here.” And a third shopping customer emphasizes the familiarity of the brand: “Blokker is just Blokker. I buy my things there from an early age.”