In December, TOP-TOY announced the closure of all Toys’R’Us and BR stores in Denmark after the company went bankrupt. Subsequently, Salling Group, which is behind the chains Bilka, føtex, Netto, Wupti.com and Salling Department stores, entered into an agreement with the curator in the estate for the purchase of TOP-TOY's total Danish stock and rights to use the BR name of the Danish market.

“It is a very strong Danish brand, and the recent weeks mention of BR has emphasized that the Danes would like to live in BR. We are now in dialogue with landlords all over the country to secure the best locations for the upcoming BR stores, says Per Bank, CEO of Salling Group.”

Already within a few months the first BR stores will open. In total, Salling Group expects to open approx. 25 new stores, which under the well-known name BR will supply Danish children with everything within toys. Thus, toys remain an important part of the customers' shopping opportunities in the physical stores throughout the country.

"With a nationwide BR chain and a strong webshop, we ensure that in the future there will be a universe where you can buy toys. It is very important to us that children can still have good experiences with toys in physical stores, and that toys remain a part of the Danes' everyday life," says Per Bank, CEO of Salling Group.

The agreement between the trustee and Salling Group meant that Salling Group only took over inventory and rights to the BR brand from the curator. The transaction with the bankruptcy estate thus did not include employees, rental agreements or fixtures, nor was there any payment of goodwill, including key money, either directly or indirectly to the estate.
 
Subsequently, Salling Group has, independently of the bankruptcy estate, started individual negotiations with landlords all over the available shop premises. The opening of the new BR stores can take place in leases that have previously housed toy stores but can also take place in other existing or newly constructed leases.
 
The coming approx. 25 stores are expected to be located broadly across Denmark, but initially not on non-fixed islands. During the spring, placement of the upcoming BR stores is expected to be published.
 
Salling Group has informed the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority.