[In the picture] A.S.Adventure opens fourth French store

A.S.Adventure has opened its fourth store in France, the fiftieth store in total for the Belgian outdoor and lifestyle retailer, which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. The store in the centre of Lille is also the first city-centre location for the chain in France.

“The right approach found”

Following stores in Bordeaux, Nice and Reims, the retailer is now staying a little closer to home with an opening just across the Belgian-French border. A.S.Adventure has chosen a location in the city centre: on Rue de Béthune, the main shopping street in the northern French city. From experience in Belgian cities such as Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent, the company knows that its concept also works perfectly in an urban environment.

The 1,500 sqm store offers the familiar mix of fashion, lifestyle, outdoor, travel, camping and winter sports, but it is not a carbon copy of the Belgian offering. “Over the past few years, we have been looking for the right approach, and we have now found it. For example, we have completely tailored the brand range to the French market. We now know that our approach works and that the French appreciate it too”, CEO Bea De Beuckelaer of Retail Concepts, the company behind the A.S.Adventure and Juttu chains, says.

“We are continuing to explore opportunities in France”, she emphasises. “Lille is a logical next step for us: a vibrant city with a strong shopping culture, close to Belgium.”