Toy retailer DreamLand, led by CEO Koen Nolmans and his brothers, is set to open stores at locations previously operated by the Cora hypermarket chain.
Seven new DreamLand stores will be launched in Brussels and Wallonia, in Anderlecht, Châtelineau, Hornu, La Louvière, Messancy, Rocourt, and Woluwe. These locations were formerly home to Cora hypermarkets, which are scheduled to shut down by early 2026. The sites are being redeveloped by Mitiska REIM.
The new stores will each cover a minimum floor space of 2,000 square metres. For Messancy, Rocourt, and Woluwe, these will be brand-new DreamLand branches. Meanwhile, the stores in Anderlecht, Châtelineau, Hornu, and La Louvière will replace existing DreamLand locations in Drogenbos, Laneffe, Jemappes, and La Louvière. The first of these stores is expected to open in early 2026.
The Nolmans family also owns ToyChamp, another toy retail chain with 16 stores in Belgium and 27 in the Netherlands. Two years ago, the family’s company acquired a 75% stake in DreamLand from the Belgian retail group Colruyt, which operated 47 stores at the time. Since early 2024, they have converted 12 former FUN stores, following the chain’s bankruptcy, into either ToyChamp or DreamLand locations. Starting this September, the entire network will operate under the DreamLand brand.
In the Netherlands, the group expanded last year by acquiring Intertoys, a chain with over 200 stores. Despite the takeover, Intertoys will continue operating under its own brand name.
In a surprising twist, the Anderlecht Cora location, which will soon host a DreamLand, was recently considered by RSCA Anderlecht football club’s chairman Wouter Vandenhaute as a potential site for a new stadium.
