In addition to the shop, the aim is also to continue operating the affiliated rigging shop and life-saving equipment maintenance centre, according to a statement from SVB. The new SVB branch is currently closed, but is due to reopen before Whitsun. It will then be the first shop outside the SVB headquarters in Bremen.
"We are delighted to have our first physical presence on the Baltic Sea and have already been working flat out for several days to quickly stock our new shop with an extensive range of products," reports SVB Managing Director Thomas Stamann. "We will launch before Whitsun with fully stocked shelves and a motivated team! And if something is missing, we will deliver directly from our main warehouse in Bremen to the customer's specified delivery address within a short space of time."
With its 800 square metre shop and adjoining warehouse, SVB in Bremen is already the first port of call for many North Sea sailors. Above all, however, the company is well positioned in online retail.
"However, we still see deficits in the brand awareness of SVB in the ports on the Baltic Sea and are therefore particularly looking forward to a local presence in Kiel," explains Judith Stamann, Marketing Manager and successor to the Bremen-based online retailer, the expansion of the branch business that has now taken place.
Her brother Andreas Stamann adds: "A stationary presence in a water sports hotspot like Kiel also enables us to serve spontaneous purchases and water sports newcomers. We see a big difference in the product ranges compared to the online business." The mechanical engineering graduate has been working for the family business since 2018 and is responsible for the company's finance, logistics and IT departments.
Store manager Ingo Suhr will remain in charge of the shop, is now working for SVB and is looking forward to a fresh start: "I fought for SVB to take us over. I have been working in our shop in Kiel since 1997 and have seen it grow from 250 square metres at the beginning to 1,000 square metres today. I and all the long-serving employees are very much looking forward to reopening with full shelves!"
The family-run company from Bremen claims to be Europe's largest mail-order company for water sports products and was recently named Germany's best online shop in 2023 in the water sports category by Focus Money. With its international workforce, the company generates a significant proportion of its turnover abroad. The business focus in recent years has mainly been on expanding the online shop and internationalising the brand.
SVB is known at home and abroad for its fast, global delivery, even to remote harbours. Water sports enthusiasts particularly appreciate the extensive product range, which also includes spare parts. By becoming a multi-channel provider in Germany, SVB plans to offer its services to even more customers and further consolidate its reputation in this country.
The equally traditional Hamburg-based water sports outfitter A. W. Niemeyer went bankrupt at the beginning of the year. and has to close. A buyer for the entire company could not be found. A clearance sale is currently underway at the head office in Hamburg, in the other shops and via online retail.
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