“We have consulted with the shareholder (Southern Netherlands publisher, DL) decided to end the collaboration ”, it says in a letter to the staff. “The unpredictability and the pressure on profitability have resulted in a different vision between myself and the shareholder,” says Geert Schotte.
Schotte has been at the helm of Standaard Boekhandel since 2012, which has been hit by the growth of e-commerce with its 145 brick shops and also saw the book market continue to shrink. The corona pandemic – with open bookstores in otherwise sometimes abandoned shopping centers – caused an additional setback.
At the time, Schotte succeeded father Frans, who is now again – temporarily – CEO. “I have promised to ensure continuity. Then we have to see how things should continue, ”he says The time. The now 74-year-old Frans Schotte had already led the company between 1984 and 2012 and transformed the chain into Flemish market leader. For example, book chain Club was taken over. Frans Schotte is currently honorary chairman of football club Cercle Brugge and chairman of the Gezinsbond. Neither Geert Schotte nor the Standaard Boekhandel want to comment any more for the time being.
In 2019, Standaard Boekhandel achieved a turnover of 204 million euros, good for an operational cash flow of 5.2 million euros. But for the first time in 30 years, there was a small net loss of 6,000 euros. Standaard Boekhandel is part of the Zuid-Nederlandse Uitgeverij, owned by the Schaltin family from Mechelen. They are the sole shareholder.
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