Retailer Leapp declared bankrupt; stores closed for time being

Dutch retailer Leapp, which sells used and refurbished Apple devices, was declared bankrupt on Friday. The 24 Leapp stores will remain closed for the time being, as this will give the chain the best chance of a restart, according to bankruptcy administrator Kees van de Meent, NU.nl reports.

Usually a chain is kept open while the bankruptcy administrator looks at the options, so as not to lose patronage and to keep the company attractive for potential buyers. But the situation is different in this case, according to Van de Meent. Leapp sells second-hand products, which won't lose much value if the stores are closed for a time. And there is a chance that if the stores are reopened, the entire stock will be sold in a few weeks, making Leapp less attractive for takeover.

Several parties already showed interest in Leapp, according to the newspaper.

Leapp employs around 200 people. The company started in 2011 as an online store, and grew strongly over the past years, also expanding abroad. Six of its 24 brances are located in Belgium and one in Germany.