Gondella News A new beginning for Carrefour Market Saint-Joseph, Bruges
On the unfortunate date of Friday, October 13, 2023, a devastating fire completely ravaged Carrefour Market in Bruges, managed by Michèle Verbrugge. Triggered by a short circuit in one of the refrigerators, the blaze left nothing to be salvaged.
Michèle, who recently lost her severely ill father Paul, faced the monumental task of rebuilding the store from scratch, while its last renewal only took place 7 years ago. Despite the challenges, she remained undeterred, driven by a profound sense of community and a desire to honour her father.
"The store is my home. I have known the people from the neighbourhood for over forty years, reconstructing the store was like a fresh start and a tribute to my dad."
Michèle Verbrugge - Owner
A beacon of quality and design
The newly rebuilt store of 1500 m² stands as a testament to Michèle’s vision: a clean, orderly space filled with high-quality, durable furniture and products.
“I had a clear plan in my mind of what I wanted, and visited many stores before starting to investigate the best company to partner up with for this remodel.”
For this, she once again turned to Gondella, a trusted partner from her previous renovation seven years earlier. The collaboration was seamless, reaffirming her decision to involve them once more. Upon seeing Gondella's new bread display, Michèle was immediately impressed. "It's a real eyecatcher," she says proudly. "I was the first in Belgium to install this innovative bread display!"
Glen Wullaert, Sales Manager at Gondella, confirms, "The bread display is indeed our showpiece. It's beautifully designed, ergonomic, and built with high-quality materials, including a vacuum system and a refrigeration module for pastries."
Commitment to excellence
Beyond the eye-catching bread display, Michèle also ordered sleek metal shelves and elegant wooden vegetable furniture from Gondella. The diversity in product offerings, combined with swift and reliable service, sets Gondella apart. "Our extensive product range, speed, and reliability in service, and the quality we provide are unmatched," Glen notes.
"Our service goes beyond just supplying products; we assist our clients through design, production, and installation phases. Thanks to a recent acquisition, we’ve integrated comprehensive expertise in retail design and joinery, making us quite unique in the market."
One-stop-shop in store remodelling
Gondella's offerings extend far beyond metal store racks. From custom displays and reception furniture to finishes in various materials and even complete workspaces, Gondella aims to provide complete care in store design. "We aim to fully relieve store owners of the stress of store layout, providing smart designs that are long-lasting and enhance profitability," Glen explains.
“I was looking for a partner, and Gondella is the market leader in the Benelux. Very well known. If you think about a store remodel, you think about Gondella. Their quality is just the best compared to the rest and really jumps out. The General Manager Frederic stood really close to the customer. Michèle continues, “If I should describe Gondella a in three words I’d say accessible, professional, and correct: accessible in communication, professional in execution, and correct in pricing.”
Triumph through adversity
Being a supermarket owner can’t be underestimated. As an entrepreneur, you continuously push yourself over your limits. It’s a daunting task, and Michèle really struggled with burnout as well. "It's not always happy happy”, she reflected but she succeeded in her goals and the refurbished Carrefour Market reopened its doors on May 8, 2024.
It is now a beautiful, open neighbourhood store, meticulously organized just as Michèle had envisioned. "What I am most pleased about? That all my employees returned. Some have retired but still work here as flexi-jobbers. There are also many practical improvements that make me genuinely happy," Michèle shares with pride.
