Can De Loods’s short move secure a lasting home for affordable household goods?
Social shop De Loods is moving at the end of August 2026 from its temporary Wommelgem premises to another building about one kilometre further along the Herentalsebaan, on the Borsbeek side. The move preserves a referral-based source of low-cost clothing, furniture and household goods, but visitors should confirm the new address, opening hours and eligibility with De Loods or their local OCMW before travelling.
The relocation preserves access to affordable essential goods after three years of temporary and fragmented accommodation. Its proximity to the former site should reduce disruption for existing clients, but people should verify the new location and referral rules rather than trusting older directory entries.
Social shop De Loods will move at the end of August 2026 from its temporary premises in to another building roughly one kilometre further along the , on the side, ensuring that its material-aid service can continue nearby. reported that the new property was formerly used by Neopaul. For clients, donors and volunteers, the practical message is straightforward: do not rely on an older online listing when planning a visit; first contact De Loods or the —Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn—of your gemeente to confirm the new address, opening arrangements and whether a referral is required.
The relocation gives De Loods something it has lacked since a fire destroyed its shop and warehouse in , in the municipality of , in August 2023: a fresh prospect of operating from a more suitable base. The organisation, part of the volunteer association , helps people on limited incomes obtain second-hand clothes, furniture and household essentials at reduced or symbolic prices. Its model is not an ordinary charity shop open on identical terms to every passer-by. Earlier descriptions of the service indicate that people in acute need may receive goods through its Free Service, while social shopping generally depends on referral by an or another recognised social service.
## Why one kilometre matters
A move of only about one kilometre may appear modest, but continuity and accessibility are central to this kind of service. De Loods’s temporary location was the former director’s residence of the bankrupt Borremans timber business on the in . reported in 2024 that the building was destined for demolition and therefore offered no permanent solution. Furniture, meanwhile, had to be stored separately in a municipal warehouse in Emblem without water, electricity or sanitary facilities, making it unsuitable for receiving clients.
That fragmented arrangement followed the 2023 fire at the former military hangar on the Van den Nestlaan in . reported that De Loods was still assisting at least 200 to 300 people a year in 2024, with referrals coming from OCMWs across a broad part of , from Antwerp and Zoersel to Lier. Keeping the shop on the same main road should limit disruption for established visitors, although the exact accessibility of the new premises by public transport, bicycle, car or adapted transport has not yet been independently confirmed.
The move also matters to the volunteers who receive, sort and redistribute donated goods. Wereld-Delen describes itself as an autonomous volunteer organisation working in material assistance, language support, personal guidance and community activities. A local profile published through Samen Warm says more than 200 volunteers contribute across its different projects; that figure covers Wereld-Delen as a whole, not De Loods alone.
## How to seek help
Residents who need clothing, furniture or basic household equipment should begin with the social service responsible for where they live. In Dutch-speaking municipalities this is the ; in French it is the , or Centre public d’action sociale. ’s official information portal says every commune or gemeente has such a centre and that it assesses the most appropriate assistance after examining the applicant’s personal and household circumstances. Help may be financial, psychosocial or material, and local centres often work with associations such as De Loods.
A useful route is:
1. Contact the or of the commune or gemeente where you live and explain what essential goods you lack. 2. Ask specifically whether it can refer you to or to a comparable material-aid service closer to home. 3. Keep the referral or appointment details and confirm directly with De Loods where and when you should attend after the move. 4. If transport is difficult, ask the referring social worker whether delivery, adapted transport or another local provider is available; no general delivery entitlement has been confirmed for De Loods.
People making their first request for Belgian social assistance can also use Online. The federal government says the secure form is available in Dutch, French, German and English and forwards an official first application to the competent local centre. Applicants receive an email acknowledgement before a social worker follows up. The platform is helpful for newcomers who are still learning the local administrative vocabulary, but it does not itself grant access to De Loods: the relevant or CPAS still examines the request.
Language is particularly worth anticipating here. De Loods’s operating area and the municipalities around , and are in Flanders, so Dutch is the administrative language. An English- or French-speaking resident can nevertheless ask whether interpretation or language support is available. Online offers an English interface, while the names of documents and follow-up correspondence from a Flemish gemeente may remain in Dutch. In Antwerp city, the municipal portal directs new applicants to a sociaal centrum and offers information on income support, debt help and other welfare services.
## More than a second-hand shop
Social shops sit between emergency relief, reuse and longer-term social support. Allowing clients to select appropriate goods can preserve more choice than a standard pre-packed donation. Yet the system also exposes charities to property costs, storage constraints and unstable recycling markets. In 2024, De Loods told that low prices for unusable textiles threatened to turn surplus clothing from a modest source of income into a disposal cost. Sorting is labour-intensive, and donated items that cannot be reused still have to go somewhere.
That tension explains why the new premises are important without resolving every difficulty. The reported move secures operational continuity, but the available sources do not establish the duration or financial terms of the occupancy, the building’s capacity, or whether all clothing, furniture and household-goods activities will be reunited on one site.
Before donating, visitors should therefore ask what De Loods currently accepts; unsolicited damaged furniture or unusable textiles can add costs rather than help. Before seeking goods, clients should verify their referral and appointment requirements. The next meaningful update will be the organisation’s confirmation of the full address, post-move opening hours, accessibility and donation rules. Until those details are published, the safest points of contact are De Loods through Wereld-Delen and the applicant’s own or .
Impact
Regional — The service receives referrals from several municipalities across Antwerp province. A viable base near Wommelgem and Borsbeek therefore supports more than one gemeente, even though eligibility decisions remain with each referring OCMW or social service.
Local — The move directly affects clients referred from municipalities across Antwerp province, including the Wommelgem, Borsbeek and Ranst area. Keeping De Loods roughly one kilometre from its temporary premises should limit the geographical disruption for established users and referring services. However, crossing to the Borsbeek side may make old address listings unreliable. Municipal OCMW offices will continue to determine referrals and eligibility, so access arrangements may differ according to the client’s municipality and circumstances.
What it means for you
If you use or refer someone to De Loods, do not rely on an old directory address after the end of August 2026. Contact De Loods, Wereld-Delen or the relevant local OCMW to confirm the exact Borsbeek-side address, opening hours, referral requirement and whether the needed items are available before travelling. People seeking social assistance for the first time can use CPAS Online in Dutch, French, German or English. The article provides no fixed prices or guarantee of free goods; support depends on circumstances, eligibility and stock.
Opposing perspectives
- Clients and local social services
For people referred for essential clothing, furniture or household equipment, keeping De Loods close to its previous site offers continuity and preserves a degree of personal choice. Their immediate concern is practical certainty: a confirmed address, accessible premises, stable hours and clear referral rules.
- Volunteer operators and reuse organisations
A larger or more secure site can strengthen material aid, but premises alone do not solve the operational burden. Volunteers must transport and sort donations, while damaged furniture and unusable textiles can create storage and disposal costs rather than useful stock.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Province containing the municipalities and communities served by De Loods.
Country whose municipal social-assistance system includes OCMW/CPAS offices.
Antwerp-province municipality containing De Loods’s temporary premises.
Antwerp-province municipality on whose side of the Herentalsebaan the reported new premises are located.
Road along which the former and reported new De Loods locations are situated.
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Antwerp-province municipality containing De Loods’s temporary premises.
Antwerp-province municipality on whose side of the Herentalsebaan the reported new premises are located.
Road along which the former and reported new De Loods locations are situated.
Province containing the municipalities and communities served by De Loods.
Country whose municipal social-assistance system includes OCMW/CPAS offices.
Antwerp-province municipality associated with the service’s wider referral area.
Location connected to the serious fire referenced in VRT NWS’s 2024 reporting.
Referral-based social shop relocating from temporary premises in Wommelgem to the Borsbeek side of the Herentalsebaan.
Non-profit organisation that operates De Loods.
Dutch-language municipal public social-welfare centre that assesses needs and may refer clients to De Loods.
French-language name for a municipal public social-welfare centre.
Federal online service for submitting a first social-assistance application in four languages.
Public-service news outlet that reported on De Loods’s accommodation search and annual client numbers in 2024.
News outlet reporting the planned move along the Herentalsebaan.
Official federal information portal providing background on CPAS social assistance.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceHet NieuwsbladPrimaryprimary· nieuwsblad.be· 20 August 2026Retrieved 24 August 2026· 43 days ago· Dated
- View sourceVRT NWScorroborating· vrt.be· 23 August 2024Retrieved 24 August 2026· 770 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBelgium.be — CPASofficial· belgium.beRetrieved 24 August 2026
- View sourceBelgian federal press room — CPAS Onlineofficial· news.belgium.be· 2 June 2025Retrieved 24 August 2026· 487 days ago· Dated
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This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.