Interior chain Casa files for bankruptcy

Belgian interior design chain Casa International has filed for bankruptcy. The 63 stores in Belgium will close, those abroad will remain open for now.

Years of debts

At the end of October, Casa had filed an application for judicial reorganisation after years of losses. This attempt seems to have been in vain, as Casa International and Casa Logistics are filing for bankruptcy. In addition to the 63 Belgian stores, the distribution centre and head office based in Belgium will close. This will affect 544 jobs, the company said in a press release.

The previous court reorganisation “unfortunately did not lead to the intended result”, the company now admits. The retailer also sought fresh capital, but talks with as many as twelve unnamed parties ultimately yielded nothing. This meant that the chain could not go ahead with one of its “several possible relaunch scenarios”.

The Belgian shops – offline and online – are closed, but may reopen later for a clearance sale. The branches abroad, including in the Netherlands, France and Luxembourg, remain open for the time being. However, as the international stores fully depend on Casa International and Casa Logistics for their assortment and supplies, the unions expect the curtain to fall there too.