[In the Picture] First Wondr Lab opens in iconic Flemish pharmacy

The Belgian sustainable skincare brand Wondr, part of Planet B, opened its third—and most ambitious—brick-and-mortar store in Leuven on Saturday. The iconic 16th-century building housed a pharmacy for more than 150 years, but is now the first “Wondr Lab.”

A building with a story

The building on Mechelsestraat, where seven streets once converged, grew into one of the city’s most famous pharmacies starting in the late 19th century. Following the closure of De Zeven Hoeken earlier this year, Wondr is now writing a new chapter in the building’s history.

“From day one, Wondr has been built on pharmaceutical expertise and scientific evidence. Pharmacy-first is in the brand’s DNA,” says CEO Tibbe Verschaffel. So it was “the most logical step imaginable,” though admittedly a rather impulsive decision, CEO Tibbe Verschaffel admits to RetailDetail.

“We had absolutely no plans to open another store,” because stores are expensive, but when he saw the property, he was sold. “I made the decision within two days.” Wondr had previously run two successful pop-ups in Leuven.

A store as an honest conversation

The Wondr Lab promises to be more than a traditional store. “This is the place where we can tell our story in full,” says the brand. “Where we can show what’s in our formulas, why it works, and what that specifically means for your skin or hair. Not as a sales pitch, but as an honest conversation.”

Wondr positions itself as “a science-first self-care brand” that combines sustainability and beauty trends. The products are free of single-use plastics and microplastics, as well as hormone-disrupting ingredients, and contain only natural and sustainable components. The brand, founded in 2021, is B Corp-certified and available in Belgium and the Netherlands.

You’ll hear how stores, social media, and viral marketing stunts all intertwine to drive Planet B’s success at Retail Marketing Day on September 24. “With a social-first strategy and a full-fledged omnichannel approach, we’re provingthat you don’t need massive budgets to build a strong brand,” says Chief Digital Officer Ruben Renaer at the foot of the Atomium in Brussels.