Everything for aquariums in 3 800 m² of retail space

Download: Everything for aquariums in 3 800 m² of retail space (PDF file)
David van Kwikenborne has been involved in the aquatics business for over 30 years. Before establishing his new venture last September, he ran a 1 400 m² aquatics store in Mouscron, thereby acquiring a good reputation among fish enthusiasts and pond owners in the region.
Now the dynamic entrepreneur has gone a step further and built a speciality store in Estaimpuis with a retail area of 2 500 m². And in order to be able to stock an extensive selection of fish and articles for ponds as well as freshwater and marine aquariums, David van Kwikenborne even added a separate 1 300 m² hall in the spring of this year to accommodate an entire range of garden pond products.
A retail area bordering on
4 000 m² and no dog or cat food – can such a concept work? “As you see, it works,” smiles David van Kwikenborne, pointing to the throng of customers populating his store even on an ordinary weekday afternoon. “We’re doing what we do best,” he adds.
The modern aquatics store was conceived as a standalone outlet on the edge of the town of Estaimpuis, an unusual move in itself. But even without any well-frequented supermarkets or DIY stores in the immediate vicinity, there seems to be no shortage of customers, as the constantly full car park demonstrates. The car number plates betray a large number of French visitors to the store, attracted above all by Internet advertising and articles in various specialist aquarium magazines as well as by word of mouth.
Unusual features catch the eye
A glass façade affords a view of the store from outside, while a large koi pond awaits visitors in the entrance. Its inhabitants can be observed from a cosy adjacent seating area. Another eye-catching feature towards the rear of the store is the large aquarium presentation, in which large tanks are displayed in a variety of room situations in combination with the matching aquarium furniture in various shapes, colours and sizes. There’s even a pyramid-shaped aquarium to marvel at. However, for those who can’t find their dream aquarium here, the option of having a customised aquarium produced is available. To be able to offer its customers this service, Au Poisson d’Or works hand in hand with a firm of craftsmen in the region that will supply and install aquariums to order.
Situated between the walls of shelving, which are organised according to brand and house a large selection of both standard and unusual foods…