Blokker sees majority of franchisees drop out

Only 12 of the initially 48 franchisees make the restart with Dutch household chain Blokker. Meanwhile, the retailer continues to open shops: the 50-store mark is in sight.

Other options

On Tuesday, the deadline expired for entrepreneurs to decide whether to join Roland Palmer’s New Blokker project, after he took over the brand in December following its bankruptcy. In the end, the majority of franchisees appear to prefer other options. Several entrepreneurs no with competitor Marskramer, which has some 60 shops. Some 20 retailers want to continue together as an independent cooperative, about which more concrete news is not expected until this autumn.

“We are extremely happy that 12 experienced entrepreneurs are now choosing us and see it as an important confirmation of the confidence in our course,” the retailer responded to business newspaper FD. Blokker, which once accounted for more than 400 shops in the Netherlands, reopened its first 12 shops in June and currently has 48: six new ones opened on Wednesday, in Breda, Helmond, Middelharnis, Pijnacker, Raamsdonksveer and Rotterdam. The Hague, Geldrop and Nijmegen are scheduled to open next week, with Amsterdam to follow.