Spar Colruyt Group opens refurbished neighbourhood supermarket in the centre of Diest
Thursday 28 November sees the Spar Colruyt Group store in Diest opening its doors again after having received a thorough make-over. The convenience store has been decorated in the style of the latest generation of Spar stores. The familiar fresh produce department has been modernised and expanded to deliver improved quality. Owners Filip Claes and Nele Stalmans are pleased to invite their customers and local residents to the opening reception on Wednesday 27 November between 6 pm and 9 pm, when they can have a look around and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Larger retail area and complete refurbishment
The Spar Diest building used to house a Colruyt store and a Eurospar. The building therefore had a rich retail history, but still the time came for a make-over. "Our customers are not only from the local area but also from towns 10 kilometres away,” says proprietor Filip. "To provide a better service, it was necessary to carry out this work." The retail area has increased from 860 to just under 1,000m². The spacious car park has remained the same size, with approximately 70 parking spaces. Spar Diest is located in Michel Theysstraat.
Focus on fresh produce
The fresh produce departments of Spar Diest create a real market feeling. “The reputation of our quality fresh produce reaches far beyond Diest”, says Filip. “We wanted to further improve on that. That’s why we installed better equipment and increased the retail area.” When customers arrive, they are welcomed by the smell of fresh bread and pastries. The proprietors invested heavily in the latest equipment and technology for self-rising and self-baking bread and pastries. At the delicatessen counter, customers will find a wide choice of home-made dishes. Filip, who is a trained butcher, prepares charcuterie platters, tapas dishes and cheese platters. Cheese and charcuterie are cut and packaged on site. The fresh produce section maintains the store’s reputation for the freshness of its fruit and vegetables with meticulous quality controls. Filip often complements the range with premium products sourced from local entrepreneurs.
Retail runs in the family
Filip comes from a family of retailers. “My grandmother Florence had a convenience store in Averbode. A lot of people still remember the store," he says. "My father then expanded the store to become Belgium’s largest Eurospar at the time. So retail is in our blood. My father still regularly helps out in the store." The entrepreneurial family has apparently had a positive impact on the village community. "People from Averbode and surrounding areas still come to Spar Diest because of my background.” Meanwhile, Filip and Nele’s team has grown to 20 employees. "A strong team we can build on."