Peter Schumck grew up in a family of traders. He took over his parents' business and gradually expanded the company. In addition to the clothing store, many other business areas were served. One of the most exciting is the own small bus company, which was founded in 1908 to transport people from the surrounding area to the department store free of charge. Heerlen, which became the Netherland's coal centre in the 1930s when the mine became state-owned, grew into the region's most important city at that time. The population number increased by five. Thus the idea for a new, large and impressive department store was born.
Due to the German origins, Peter Schunck changed his name into Pierre and was part of the resistance against Germany.
After the war in 1945 the department store was repaired after bombings. The Schunck family continued in Heerlen to construct other department stores along the main shopping street.
Sources
Buildings
Heerlen, Netherlands
Department store Schunck