Property

Dutch gift shop chain Waar has opened the first of three new sustainable gift shops in Almere, thanks to a crowd-funding campaign which exceeded all expectations. The campaign had been so successfully that the chain will be able to open another two stores soon.

Bathroom specialist FACQ has opened its 11th showroom for consumers in Roeselare, a store that also houses the 30th Sanicenter, which is mostly geared towards professionals.

Real estate company Cushman & Wakefield has managed a record 2013 turnover, with gross turnover up more than a fifth for the world's largest privately-owned commercial real estate company.

A judge has thrown out all objections to the construction of a hypermarket in Steenwijk, which means it is one step closer to actually being built.

Angela van Dongen will become Decorette's new manager. She has been with Euretco, Decorette's parent company, since 2001 and has a good understanding of the entire company. Euretco is the largest retail service organization in the Netherlands, helping 2,100 independent retailers in different branches.

Belgian kitchen chain Keukenmaxx will open its third store in Turnhout on 11 April. It features a showroom of more than 1,000 sqm, where customers can get personal guidance to design their own kitchen. The chain tries to couple lifestyle and kitchen design, using the "Style Navigator".

Dutch research has shown that 25 % of customers will stay away from areas with lots of vacant buildings, because they want a feeling of cosiness and the feeling of having a day out.