The Bristol shoe and clothing chain has kicked off a clearance sale at its store on Keesinglaan in Deurne. Items are priced at 1, 3, or 5 euros. Lore Vanaudenhouve, Bristol’s marketing director, stated that the Deurne store is the first to start the clearance sale. There is still a significant amount of clothing in the store that must be sold at discounted prices. Once everything is sold, the store will close. Other Flemish stores are currently being restocked from the distribution center in Beringen, with discounts of up to seventy percent being offered.
In the meantime, negotiations with potential buyers for Bristol stores are ongoing, with updates expected by early August. The company faced challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, with store closures, increased rent and energy costs, and a struggling economy. Additionally, the poor weather impacted sales of spring and summer items. Gino Van Ossel, an expert from Vlerick Business School, highlighted that Bristol lacks the scale enjoyed by competitors like Van Haren. This makes it difficult for Bristol to secure competitive discounts from suppliers.
Bristol put its 117 Belgian stores up for sale as it faces financial difficulties and is actively seeking a buyer. The company faced challenges during the coronavirus pandemic and poor weather impacted sales of spring and summer items
