Everything must go: Busier stores as Blokker starts bankruptcy sale
After being declared bankrupt on Wednesday, retail chain Blokker started its bankruptcy sale this past weekend. The 394 branches, most of which are decked with colorful posters saying “everything must go” and “everything discounted,” are already busier than before, RTL Nieuws reports.
The sale seems to be happening in all Blokker stores except for the 45 owned by franchisees. “The franchisees are independent and not covered by the bankruptcy. We are not participating in the discounts,” franchisee René Hilbrands of Blokker in Gemert told the broadcaster.
Bankruptcy administrators Jasper Berkenbosch and Robin de Wit are handling the chain’s bankruptcy. They are looking into whether parts of the retail chain can be sold to a new owner.
“The stores will remain open until the end of the year for the time being,” the administrators told RTL. “There will also be a sale during this period. Depending on the developments, we will regularly look at how to fill this in. We can, therefore, not say anything concrete about when and where which discounts apply.”
Blokker has been suffering heavy losses for years, despite numerous attempts to make the business healthy again. In May, the American vulture financier Gordon Brothers still gave the company a loan, with the stock as collateral. The proceeds of the bankruptcy sale will, therefore, likely go to Gordon Brothers.
