The “new Filigranes” taken over by businessman Mehmet Sandurac will continue its adventure without its founder Marc Filipson, nor its general director Véronique Croisé. Confidences of those concerned about their future in the short and medium term.
This Sunday, it will be the big “changeover”. The Filigranes brand will officially pass into the hands of Mehmet Sandurac, the businessman who founded the Mayfair concept store in Brussels and who has just won the takeover bid for the famous bookstore. Of the 45 employees listed, 31 will keep their jobs and continue their activities “as if nothing had happened”, while awaiting a move from the store on avenue des Arts to new premises located on boulevard de Waterloo, probably at month of February.
For the duo who were until now at the helm of Filigranes, another life lies ahead. ”I have no idea what I’m going to do now, confides founder Marc Filipson. My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, I am reassured that the adventure continues and that the brand continues to exist. But on the other hand, I don’t find it ‘great’, because all of this will be done without me! I created something unique in Belgium and even in Europe, I gave money to support the company in recent years, I even went into debt and now, I’m not going to receive anything. It’s over.”
Pay debts
If the buyer Mehmet Sandurac paid 305,000 to take over the activities of Filigranes, this money will not go into Marc Filipson’s pocket. ”These funds will be blocked pending the appointment of a trustee to pay the creditors,” confirms Maître Emmanuelle Bouillon, liquidation practitioner at the French-speaking Business Court in Brussels. Because Filigranes leaves a slate of 3 million debts behind it and only part of the invoices can be honored.
”I am delighted with the outcome and the decision of the Court to have chosen this buyer, but with a caveat all the same, because I would have liked not to leave any debts, continues the current general director Véronique Croisé. But above all I am relieved for the staff, because ‘Filigranes 2.0’ gives them short-term certainty regarding the renewal of the project, with a new company, a move and a reorganization of activities.”
From Watermarks to Deficom
Unlike Marc Filipson, the general director will remain in the Brussels bookseller for a few more weeks to support the buyer Mehmet Sandurac in this smooth transition. It was only at the end of January that she will definitively leave Filigranes to join Deficom where she will become administrative and financial director of the group created by Philippe Lhomme and active in the communication, trade fairs and leisure sectors (Batibouw, I-Magix cinemas , Crazy Horse, etc.).
”In the end, I’m happy, because we avoided outright bankruptcy, concludes Véronique Croisé. The name Filigranes will continue and I am delighted, because the brand is an important element of the goodwill. I also want to salute Marc Filipson, because he not only created a great company, but he was also involved in the takeover process and supported this soft landing.”
”The entire transfer procedure was carried out in accordance with the provisions of the law, in very good collaboration between Marc Filipson, Véronique Croisé, the staff and the buyer, confirms Maître Emmanuelle Bouillon, patrician of liquidation at the Company Court French-speaking Brussels. The judgment was rendered with good reasoning, in compliance with legal provisions.”
Certainly moved, but not totally defeated, Marc Filipson is today turning the page on this wonderful literary adventure, which began four decades ago. And don’t rule out the idea, at 65, of one day founding a new business…
