Jysk, considered to be Ikea’s Danish counterpart, will open its first Belgian stores in Schoten and Genk tomorrow. Lanaken will follow with its own store in May and Olen in September.
Low prices
Belgium will become the 48th country to welcome Jysk tomorrow, as soon as founder and owner Lars Larsen cuts the ceremonial ribbon in front of his new furniture store in Schoten, accompanied by the Danish ambassador Louise Bang Jespersen.
With its low prices, Jysk is often compared to its Swedish competitor Ikea, but their approach is different nonetheless. Ikea prefers large stores, while Jysk’s approach favours local 1,200 sqm initiatives.
Eighty stores
Jysk wants to trial its formula in cities or regions with about 30,000 consumers. “Later on, we would like to see whether it could also work in smaller cities of around 20,000 people”, Jysk Country Manager Netherlands, Frank Christant, told Belgian paper Het Nieuwsblad. He will also take charge of the Belgian expansion and believes there is room for about eighty stores in Belgium.
Jysk has about 2,400 stores worldwide, but its name in Germany and Austria has been changed into Dänisches Bettenlager.
