{{short description|Dutch company; owner of retail store chains}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox company | name = Mirage Retail Group | logo = | logo_size = 300 | founder = Jacob Blokker | hq_location_country = Netherlands | owner = Michiel Witteveen | subsid = Blokker Intertoys, Bart Smit, Big Bazar, Intertoys, Leen Bakker, Marskramer, Xenos, BCC, Maxi Toys, Toys XL, Intertoys Xl, Miniso, elktroblok, Gamestore e-plaza | website = [http://www.blokkerholding.nl/ www.blokkerholding.nl] }} [[File:Blokker Boxmeer.JPG|thumb|200px|''Blokker''-store in Boxmeer]] [[File:Intertoys Boxmeer.JPG|thumb|''Intertoys''-store in Boxmeer]] [[File:Bart Smit - Emmen.jpg|thumb|''Bart Smit''-store in Emmen]]
'''Mirage Retail Group''' (formerly '''Blokker Holding''') is a Dutch company that owns several chains of stores.<ref name=blokker>[http://www.telegraaf.nl/dft/nieuws_dft/7868592/__Winkelier_Jaap_Blokker_regelt_eigen_opvolging__.html Winkelier Jaap Blokker regelt eigen opvolging] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810130735/http://www.telegraaf.nl/dft/nieuws_dft/7868592/__Winkelier_Jaap_Blokker_regelt_eigen_opvolging__.html |date=10 August 2011 }}, De Telegraaf, 2010-10-07</ref>
Blokker Holding is active in twelve countries and in 2010 all the chains combined had 2825 stores. In 2015 the company had a revenue of 2.1 billion euro, of which 98 million euros from online retail.<ref>Annual report 2015</ref> Most store chains have both stores they own and stores that are franchised to other investors.
In 2017, Intertoys was sold to private equity firm Alteri Investors for an undisclosed sum. Blokker Holding also stated that it would sell Xenos and Leen Bakker.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/business/dutch-retail-chain-intertoys-sold-to-alteri-investors-idUSKBN1CH10F/|title= Dutch retail chain Intertoys sold to Alteri Investors|date=12 October 2017|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Reuters|language=en}}</ref> On 22 January 2019, Blokker Holding sold Maxi Toys to Green Swan, a Portuguese investment firm.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/blokker-sells-maxi-toys-portuguese-investment-fund/ |title=Blokker sells Maxi Toys to a Portuguese investment fund |date=22 January 2019|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref> On 21 February 2019, Intertoys was declared bankrupt after being unable to restructure after a suspension of payments.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/toy-store-chain-intertoys-bankrupt/|title= Toy store chain Intertoys bankrupt|date=21 February 2019|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref> On 8 March 2019, Intertoys was sold to Green Swan, although Blokker would later acquire Maxi Toys and Intertoys from the company just months later.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.private-equitynews.com/news/intertoys-sold-to-green-swan/|title= Intertoys sold to Green Swan|date=8 March 2019|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Private Equity News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.dutchnews.nl/2019/09/intertoys-back-in-the-hands-of-its-dutch-owner-as-green-swan-sells/ |title=Intertoys back in the hands of its Dutch owner, as Green Swan sells|date=8 September 2019|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Dutch News|language=en}}</ref>
Blokker Holding has not entered the stock exchange.<ref name=blokker/> In 2019, the Blokker Family sold the holding company to Michiel Witteveen. Witteveen became the CEO and sold less profitable chains. In July 2019, Blokker Holding would be rebranded to Mirage Retail Group to avoid confusion between the holding company and the store chain.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/blokker-holding-renamed-mirage-retail-avoid-confusion/|title= Blokker Holding renamed to Mirage Retail to avoid confusion|date=23 July 2019|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref>
Blokker stores in Belgium and Luxembourg were sold to Dutch Retail Group and were subsequently rebranded to Mega World.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.brusselstimes.com/95708/dutch-retail-groep-acquires-blokker|title= Blokker stores 'will disappear completely' from Belgium|date=18 February 2020|access-date=5 August 2020|website=The Brussels Times|language=en}}</ref> Maxi Toys was sold to King Jouet in August 2020 after the chain was facing bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://toyworldmag.co.uk/maxi-toys-acquired-by-king-jouet/|title= Maxi Toys acquired by King Jouet|date=12 August 2020|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Toy World Magazine|language=en}}</ref> On 29 September 2020, the company acquired BCC from Fnac Darty.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/electronics/blokker-owner-mirage-retail-group-acquires-electronics-chain-bcc-fnac-darty/|title=Blokker owner Mirage Retail Group acquires electronics chain BCC from Fnac Darty|date=29 September 2020|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref> By December 2020, Mega World was declared bankrupt and announced that they would close all of their stores by 2021. The company claimed it was insolvent due to it being "over-indebted."<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/mega-world-declared-bankrupt/|title= Mega World declared bankrupt|date=22 December 2020|access-date=5 August 2020|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref>
In September 2021, the company announced plans for an IPO by 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/change-top-blokker-owner-mirage-retail-group/|title= Change at the top of Blokker owner Mirage Retail Group|date=27 September 2021|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail}}</ref> These plans were postponed by December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2021/12/04/parent-company-blokker-will-go-forward-ipo|title= Parent company of Blokker will not go forward with IPO|date=4 December 2021|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref> By March 2023, Mirage Retail Group had scrapped its plans for an IPO.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/no-ipo-for-blokker-and-intertoys-after-all/|title= No IPO for Blokker and Intertoys after all|date=16 March 2023|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref>
On 22 September 2023, BCC was declared bankrupt just weeks after Mirage Retail Group stated that they were planning to sell the company.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/22/electronics-retailer-bcc-declared-bankrupt-1000-jobs-disappear|title= Electronics retailer BCC declared bankrupt; 1,000 jobs to disappear|date=22 September 2023|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref> On 26 September 2023, just days after BCC was declared bankrupt, Big Bazar was also declared bankrupt, blaming substantial losses and a failed rescue attempt as a result of the decision. The company had also failed to pay employees during all of September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/26/court-declares-big-bazar-bankrupt-workers-go-unpaid-1300-lose-jobs|title= Court declares Big Bazar bankrupt as workers go unpaid; 1,300 lose their jobs|date=29 September 2023|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref>
On 28 October 2024, Intertoys was once again sold, this time to ToyChamp.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-toy-retail-chain-toychamp-buys-intertoys-dutch-shops|title= Belgian toy retail chain ToyChamp buys Intertoys' Dutch shops|date=28 October 2024|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Belgan News Agency|language=en}}</ref> On 14 November 2024, Blokker was declared bankrupt, blaming years of losses as a result of the decision. Administrators planned to sell existing stock and assets of the company as well as selling a portion of the company. The company announced the closure of nearly all of its locations, with less than 50 stores remaining open by the beginning of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/blokker-bankrupt-in-netherlands-search-for-solution-starts/|title= Blokker bankrupt in Netherlands, search for solution starts|date=14 November 2024|access-date=5 August 2025|website=Retail Detail|language=en}}</ref> On 9 December 2024, Mirage Retail Group was also declared bankrupt.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2024/12/09/blokker-parent-company-mirage-retail-group-files-bankruptcy|title= Blokker parent company Mirage Retail Group files for bankruptcy|date=9 December 2024|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref> In February 2025, Mirage Retail Group put Miniso Netherlands up for sale.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2025/02/18/bargain-chain-minisos-dutch-stores-grabs-blokker-bankruptcy|title= Bargain chain Miniso's Dutch stores could be up for grabs after Blokker bankruptcy|date=18 February 2025|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref>
In May 2025, Blokker announced they would reopen 30 to 40 previously closed locations after they were acquired by businessman Roland Palmer in January.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/02/blokker-reopen-30-40-stores-months-bankruptcy|title= Blokker to reopen 30 to 40 stores months after bankruptcy|date=2 May 2025|access-date=5 August 2025|website=NL Times|language=en}}</ref>
== Companies == The following companies are part of Blokker Holding: {|class="wikitable" !Store chain !Founded !Branches !In the Group !Countries !Segment !Notes |- | Big Bazar | 2007 | 161 | Sinds 2007 | Netherlands, Belgiums | Homeware | Discount formula |- | Blokker | 1896 | 413 | | Netherlands, Suriname | Homeware, garden needs, multimedia, toys | Core of the Mirage Retail Group; More than 20% of the branches are franchise. Founded on 25 April 1896 in Hoorn by Jacob (the grandfather of Jaap Blokker) and Saapke Blokker. Stores in Belgium and Luxemburg were sold in February 2020 to Dirk Bron. |- | Budget | 2012 | 42 | | Netherlands | Homeware, perfumery/drugstore articles, sweets | Pull-up stores for the sell of dump and excess articles |- | Elektroblok | 1962 | 1 | since 1962 | Netherlands | Homeware | Wholesale, mostly supplying to customers in the Netherlands |- | Miniso<ref>[https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/editienl/artikel/5169290/miniso-chinese-goedkope-winkel-keten-eindhoven-utrecht Winkelketen Miniso rukt op: Nederland gek op Aziatische 'prullaria'?] RTL</ref> | 2019 | 2 | Since 2019 | Netherlands | Homeware | Mirage Retail Group has franchise rights for the Netherlands |- | Intertoys | 1976 | 301 | Netherlands, Belgium, Germany | | Toys | Sold in 2017 to Alteri Indigo Luxembourg S.À R.L. Bought back in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/bedrijven/artikel/4840571/eigenaar-blokker-koopt-intertoys-terug-van-portugezen|title = Eigenaar Blokker koopt Intertoys terug van Portugezen|date = 7 September 2019}}</ref> |- | Maxi Toys | | 176 | Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Turkey, Morocco | | Toys | |}
Former formulas: {| class="wikitable" style="width: 70%;" !Name !Founded !Number of stores !Active in !Segment !Notes |- | Bart Smit | 1967 | 234 | Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg | Toys | Sold in 2017 to Alteri Indigo Luxembourg S.À R.L. who merged it into Intertoys. Intertoys was bought back. |- | Casa | | 517 | France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy | Furniture and interior decorating | |- | Cook&Co | 2005 | 27 | Netherlands | Food and dishware | Created from a merger of Holland Handels Huis and Hoyng. These stores were closed |- | Leen Bakker | 1928 | 179 | Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg | Furniture and interior decorating | |- | Marskramer | 1940 | 206 | Netherlands | Household appliances | Sold to the Audax Groep |- | Novy | 1997 | 25 | Netherlands | Household appliances | Daughter company of Marskramer, sold to the Audax Groep |- | Toys2Play | 2002 | Can be found in Marskramer, Novy and Prima stores | Netherlands | Toys | Daughter company of Marskramer, sold to the Audax Groep |- | Trend Centre | 1978 | 1 | - | - | Wholesale of Blokker Holding located in Amsterdam |- | Xenos | 1973 | 252 | Netherlands, Germany | Food, Household appliances, interior decorating | |- |}
Blokker Holding also operated: * Giraffe * Groenblok * Holland Handels Huis * Hoyng * Gifts and Dreams * Tuincentrum Overvecht * E-Plaza
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://blokkerholding.nl/ Official website]
Category:Retail companies of the Netherlands Category:Retail companies established in 1896 Category:Multinational companies headquartered in the Netherlands Category:Companies that have filed for bankruptcy in the Netherlands