Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Tollet, a jewelry store started in 1902 by Didier Tollet, is facing tough times after COVID. The city center has become dirty and unsafe, so shoppers have moved out of city. Travel issues in Brussels are also affecting business, with fewer tourists visiting.
The Tollet brand was started in 1902 but became well-known in the Rue des Fripiers in Brussels about 50 years later. For many years, business was good, but things changed after COVID. Owner Didier Tollet told BRUZZ that the shop is no longer making money. He believes the city center has gotten worse, with more problems like dirt, drugs, and safety issues. Many people who used to shop in the city center have now moved to the neighborhood.
Why are shoppers avoiding Brussels’ city center amid safety concerns?
People are staying away from the city center because it doesn’t feel safe. It’s dirty, and there are people sleeping on the streets. So, Tollet is focusing on his other shops in Waterloo and the Woluwe Shopping Center, which are doing better. Many shoppers have moved out of the city, and with more people working from home. Tollet also thinks the city council isn’t doing enough to fix these problems, saying the mayor doesn’t seem to care about helping local businesses.
It has been said that the new travel plans are making it tough for people to get around Brussels. The Minister of Mobility, Elke Van den Brandt, is facing criticism for this. A jeweler shared that it took him nearly two hours to get from the Woluwe Shopping Center to his shop on Kleerkopersstraat. This is also affecting business, as fewer tourists are coming in. The jeweler said they used to see many Chinese tourists in big groups buying things, but now they just wander around without buying much.
