Ruud and Sylvia Vermeulen have invested in and rebranded their 121-year-old family store in Horn, enriching SPAR Netherlands network. SPAR Horn started as a family business at the turn of the 20th century and has served the community for several generations. During the rebranding, the store kept its local character but now features an expanded assortment of goods and services.

History

The shop has been in the family for 121 years. When Ruud’s great grandmother Maria started the store at the turn of the century in 1900, she ran it in her 20m² living room. 

The neighbourhood store has served as a community meeting point throughout the decades. It has an extensive range of products, including a large share of non-food and gift items. Ruud is a strong supporter of regional producers, bringing unique, high-quality products into the assortment. 

Beyond an extensive grocery range, the store offers food-to-go options such as sandwiches, pizzas, fresh coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice. The store also serves delicious toasted sandwiches from The Tosti Club, which customers can enjoy in the cosy seating area. SPAR Horn also offers dry cleaning, online ordering, and postal services. 

Plans for the future

Ruud and Sylvia are benefiting from joining the brand, following SPAR Netherlands’ Leadership Programme. The weeks after the reopening have been promising, showing a turnover growth of about 30%.

Source: SPAR Netherlands

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About SPAR Netherlands

The SPAR Brand was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 by the Dutch wholesaler, Adriaan van Well and 16 independent retailers. It was established as a voluntary chain of grocers under the name DESPAR – an acronym of a slogan created by van Well to describe the organisation: Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig, which translates in English to All benefit from joint co-operation.

The Head Office and Distribution Centre (DC) are located in Waalwijk, from where support is provided for the almost 450 stores in operation.