Sportswear brand Nike is set to expand its presence in Belgium, with new shops opening in Bruges, Antwerp and elsewhere across the country, De Tijd reports.
The brand reportedly wants to increase the sale of its products in Belgium outside of major retailers such as Decathlon or Footlocker. Nike has experienced an explosion in sales in recent years, significantly outstripping its competitor Adidas. Nike has recently focused on driving sales through its own physical and online stores, eliminating supply chains.
This corporate policy to ditch retailers can already be seen across Belgium. In Antwerp, the Nike store moved to a larger premises on the main shopping street (Meir) in April. In Brussels, Nike purchased additional space next to its existing flagship store on Rue Neuve. The store will be transformed into a new 1,5000 m2 mega-location.
Nike is also planning further expansion in other cities. In the autumn, Nike's first Ghent store will open on the Veldstraat, taking over the former Fnac location. By the end of this year, a store will also open on Bruges' Steenstraat.
The American sportswear company operates a series of outlet stores in various locations, from where it sells much of its old stock. These exist in the Wijnegem shopping centre, Liège, Mons and Maasmechelen.
Expansion
Nike's main stores in Belgium, excluding outlet locations, are controlled by Israeli Fox Group, which specialises in setting up and operating stores for multinational brands such as Nike, American Eagle, Flying Tiger and Mango.
De Tijd, on the basis of sources close to the company, says that Fox Group's subsidiary, Retailors, will soon create many other stores in Belgium, possibly up to ten. These may be established in smaller Belgian cities.
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Nike's expansion in Belgium is good news for the country's commercial real estate sector. Large commercial units on major shopping streets in large cities can go for significant amounts of money.
In its 2022 report, Ostend-based real estate company Qrf Vanmoerkerke said that it was pleased about the opening of the Nike shop in Ghent. The opening of new locations will only amplify the positive economic impact.
