HASSELT, 13 October 2011. The investment company LRM will invest 350,000 euros in 'Book in a Box' through its ARKiv-subsidiary KMOFIN2. With the extra funds, the founders, Sylvia Feytons and Steven Gardyn, want to increase the name recognition of 'Book in a Box', expand the physical sales points, and, in the short term, enter the Dutch market.
Always the right gift
In 2010, Sylvia Feytons and Steven Gardyn took the initiative to found ‘Book in a Box’. The idea arose when the couple received the umpteenth bad gift at Christmas. They were only mildly pleased with the gift, but it did inspire them to give up their jobs in the financial sector and start their own business.
Sylvia Feytons, partner of ‘Book in a Box’: "As a book lover, I love giving my friends or family a good book. The thing is, you never know upfront whether they will like the book, or worse, if they already have it. Our gift concept offers the perfect solution: an original, personal, and always correct book gift. So, never again a tie-from-your-mother-in-law kind of gift."
‘Book in a Box’ offers its customers gift boxes with different themes, such as Winning Novels, International Thrillers, or Good Cooking. Each box contains 20 cards with a short description of the books in this selection. Based on this, the lucky recipients choose their favourite book. With a unique code, he or she chooses a book on the website www.bookinabox.be. just a couple of days later, the book will be delivered at home. The giver can be sure that he or she has given a quality book the recipient does not yet own. The recipient has a wide choice, and will always find an appealing book in the selection. In addition, one does not have to leave the house to choose the book, and it will be delivered directly to your home.
"Book in a Box” is available through the website www.bookinabox.be, or at the Hypermarkets of Carrefour.
The shortest way to the right book
‘Book in a Box’, however, is more than a mere gift concept. “Through the website www.bookinabox.be, people can also buy books. Eventually, we want to become a true book-GPS, and guide the consumer to a good book", explains Steven Gardyn, partner of 'Book in a Box'. "For most readers it is not easy to find their way through the vast selection of titles. ‘Book in a Box’ has the ambition to offer customers a quality selection of books per theme, both through the website (www.bookinabox.be), as well as through the gift concept. We focus on quality, in which also older and/or lesser-known titles can be selected. What's more, the online book selection will be greatly expanded in the future."
Realising dreams
To make the further development of 'Book in a Box' possible, LRM, the Limburg investment company, will invest 350,000 euros through its ARKiv-subsidiary KMOFIN2. The capital of this young SME will be increased by 200,000, and the remaining 150,000 euros will be provided in the form of a subordinated loan.
The additional funds will be used to increase the name recognition of 'Book in a Box', expand the number of physical sales points, and to enter the Dutch market in the short term.
Stijn Bijnens, General Manager of LRM, "LRM makes risk capital available to starting SMEs. By financing 'Book in a Box', we are providing two young entrepreneurs with the chance to realise their dream. It takes courage and entrepreneurship to resign from your job and accept the challenge. I hope they set an example for others who want to take the step to entrepreneurship."
About LRM
LRM is a profit-oriented investor, offering entrepreneurs a unique combination of venture capital and real estate. Oxygen for growth!
LRM is a generalist, but has developed specific competencies in ICT, Life Sciences and Cleantech. LRM's activities contribute to the economic development and general employment in the province of Limburg. It targets all sectors and companies, from starting companies to growing SMEs and larger businesses.
Access to LRM runs via five domains: ICT & Media, Life Sciences, Cleantech & Energy, SMEs and Large Businesses.
www.lrm.be
More information
Book in a Box
Sylvia Feytons
T +32 498 61 13 39
E sylvia@bookinabox.be
LRM
Jeffrey Alenus
Commercieel directeur
T +32 475 93 03 61
E j.alenus@lrm.be