Bijenkorf

In 1870, Simon Goudsmit started a haberdashery shop on Nieuwendijk in Amsterdam. After his death, his nephew and his widow expanded the shop by adding articles and floor space in adjacent buildings. In 1909, Bijenkorf (bee hive) moved into a newly built, huge department store building on Dam square. Similar stores followed in The Hague (1926) and Rotterdam (1930). In 1926, Bijenkorf directors established the HEMA chain. While Bijenkorf sold luxury goods, HEMA specialised in cheap products. As Bijenkorf was considered Jewish (Goudsmit was a Jew), it was off-limits for Nazi soldiers. This may actually have been helpful, it was plundered only once, in mid 1940. During the famine of 1944, the Bijenkorf restaurant was one of the last that could still serve food: mashed tulip bulbs.

In 1998, Vendex, owner of the V&D department stores, merged with Bijenkorf and HEMA to Vendex KBB. In 2004, the company became the property of a consortium of US investor Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, with financial assistance of Dutch investor Alpinvest. In 2006, the company was re-named Maxeda. This company sold HEMA to British investor Lion capital. Meanwhile, internet retail sales started to take off. In 2010, V&D was sold to US investor Capital partners. Bijenkorf was told to close five shops in 2014/2015, bringing it back to 7 shops.

Bijenkorf
	Filename	ABK1
	Side 1	logo
	Side 2	de Bijenkorf
	Manufacture	Brass
	Size (mm)	22
	Weight (grams)
	Notes
	Source	Figleaf