The final verdict: vanHaren acquires 40 Brantano stores, no staff

Dutch shoe store chain vanHaren (part of the German Deichmann group) has announced more details about its partial acquisition of Brantano. Just forty stores will reopen, staff is not included in the acquisition.

Thorough analysis

According to the Dutch shoe retailer, the reason why it took so long to publish the list of acquired stores is because of the many talks with landlord and the need to “thoroughly analyse” which locations had the most potential for its store concept. Rather than the announced 43, vanHaren will now acquire just 40 stores. It is a huge step for the Dutch chain, which currently only has sixteen stores in Belgium.

Bie Buelens will start a second stint at the shoe retailer as Chief Transformation Officer, tasked with bringing the dialogue with the unions to a good end. Han Sterk, who started as director at vanHaren in February, joins her in the management of the Belgian branch.

The social dialogue might prove a bit of a challenge, as vanHaren will not take over the stores’ staff: former Brantano employees are “invited to apply” for the positions in the forty stores.

These are the forty Brantano stores that get a new life as vanHaren locations, all located in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium:

1. Aalst: Brusselsesteenweg 120

2. Aarschot: Liersesteenweg 224

3. Borsbeek: De Robianostraat 169

4. Bruges (Sint-Andries): Legeweg 152

5. Bruges (Sint-Kruis): Maalse Steenweg 251

6. Deinze: Guido Gezellelaan 40H

7. Eeklo (Krügercomplex): Stationsstraat 82

8. Geraardsbergen: Astridlaan 38

9. Grimbergen: Waardbeekdreef 6

10. Hasselt (Kuringen): Schampbergstraat 22B

11. Heist-op-den-Berg: Mechelsesteenweg 121 B

12. Ieper: Rijselsepoort 21

13. Knokke-Heist: Vlamingstraat 79

14. Kontich: Koningin Astridlaan 88

15. Lede: Wichelsesteenweg 190

16. Lier: Antwerpsesteenweg 499A

17. Lochristi: Antwerpsesteenweg 119

18. Lokeren: Zelebaan 67

19. Lommel: Buitensingel 60

20. Mariakerke: Staatskensstraat 2

21. Mechelen: Brusselsesteenweg 439

22. Mechelen: Elektriciteitsstraat 39

23. Ninove: Ring Oost 6

24. Olen (Shopping Park): Lammerdries 4

25. Ostend: Torhoutsesteenweg 667

26. Oudenaarde (Retailpark N60): Westerring 45

27. Overijse: Steenweg op Brussel 285

28. Roeselare: Westlaan 189

29. Schelle: Boomsesteenweg 37

30. Sint-Joris-Winge: Gouden Kruispunt 44

31. Sint-Niklaas: Puitvoetstraat 5

32. Sint-Pieters-Leeuw: Bergensesteenweg 65

33. Sint-Truiden: Kattestraat 7

34. Stabroek: Picoplein 9

35. Torhout: Noordlaan 13

36. Waregem (Sint-Eloois-Vijve): Gentsesteenweg 745

37. Wetteren: Zuidlaan 97

38. Wevelgem: Kortrijkstraat 329

39. Willebroek: Denderlaan 20

40. Zoersel: Rodendijk 30