Strategic location at Weststation
The brand new store is located on the Ninoofsesteenweg, near Weststation. “It is the ideal location for a city centre convenience store such as OKay Compact, as it is a busy neighbourhood with many local residents and passers-by from the station. Moreover, the building we are in is part of a larger project with a lot of potential, such as apartments, offices and student rooms above our shop", says Gert Somers, manager for OKay Compact. The communication in and about the store has been Western-themed. “We wanted a campaign that linked in with the neighbourhood. As we are located near Weststation, we chose the slogan ‘The fastest shop in the West’.”
Daily groceries, 7 days a week
OKay Compact Molenbeek is fresh and modern, covering an area of 420 m² and employing 10 people. It is a real city centre store: no parking, open on Sundays and with a strong focus on the daily shopping of city people. "Of course everyone is welcome, but we focus specifically on anyone who lives, works or studies in the neighbourhood. As with our other stores, we use the 'two hands, two feet' principle. People come on foot, by public transport or by bicycle and have two hands to carry their groceries," says shop manager Emilien Basse. In the food corner, customers will find a wide range of 'on the go' products, such as sandwiches, cake, hot and chilled drinks, etc. There is also a salad bar and a small but cosy dining area with 10 seats.
Expansion in Brussels continues
It is the third OKay Compact in our capital. The very first OKay Compact opened back in 2012 in Brussels, on Hogeschoollaan in Elsene. A second Brussels store opened in 2016 in the Dansaert district, more specifically in the old Dandoy biscuit factory on Grootsermentstraat. The other OKay Compact stores - the figure is now at 9 - are located in Antwerp and Liège, and recently in Ghent. "It is our ambition to open even more stores in the coming years. We are already working on a new location in Brussels. This will be followed by an extensive evaluation, but given the current success we certainly expect to continue our city centre formula”, says Gert Somers.
