The department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof has to close its branches again. Which NRW locations could be affected by the closure?
Cologne – The Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof department store chain is once again facing financial failure. Therefore, on 31 October 2022, the second protective shield procedure was requested within less than three years. To avoid the worst, the company has to close dozens of locations again. Company boss Miguel Müllenbach announced that the branch network of 131 department stores “must be reduced by at least a third”. More than 40 locations would be affected. Even some branches outside North Rhine-Westphalia are likely among the candidates for closure.
Closures at Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: when will it be determined which venues will be affected?
But when will it be known which locations are specifically affected? According to renovation expert Arndt Geiwitz, this should be certain in January. “It is not yet clear which houses will be closed. Whether a position can be held will also depend heavily on these talks,” Geiwitz said on Nov. 10. “We assume there will be clarity on this over the course of January next year.” Discussions should be held promptly with the various stakeholders who are interested in the engagements at the Galeria premises.
Closures at Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: which NRW branches could close?
Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof currently has a total of 31 branches in 25 cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Until 2020 there were a few more, but during the first protective shield procedure, the department store chain already had some locations in NRW cities such as Dusseldorf, Dortmund or Essen Locked down. Now more could be added. Surely it is already at Cologne Karstadt branch on Breite Strasse. The owner had announced the demolition and new construction there, but without the participation of the Galeria.
According to the company, it has not yet been definitively decided which other locations of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof – whether in North Rhine-Westphalia or other federal states – will close otherwise. The next talks will not only concern the rent, but also other issues such as the use of space, energy renovations or modernization and construction measures.
The most likely candidates for closure are the Galeria branches in Dusseldorf (Schadowstrasse), Essen (Limbecker Platz), Dortmund, Neuss, Leverkusen and Bielefeldhe reports it Handelsblatt. They had already been on the list of venues to close in 2020 but were saved at the last second by a rent reduction. But it probably shouldn’t stick with such a small number. Trade expert Gerrit Heinemann of the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences expects up to ten NRW branches of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof to remain in the long term, he told the Renana Post explained.
Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: all current NRW branches at a glance – list
- Colony (Karstadt, Breite Straße)
- Colony (Kaufhof, main street)
- Colony (Kaufhof, Neusser Straße)
- Dusseldorf (Kaufhof, Königsallee)
- Dusseldorf (Karstadt, Schadowstrasse)
- Duisburg (Kaufhof, Düsseldorfer Straße)
- Duisburg (Karstadt, Forum Duisburg)
- Bonn (Kaufhof)
- Wuppertaler (Kaufhof)
- Moenchengladbach (Kaufhof)
- Krefeld (Kaufhof)
- Aachen (Kaufhof)
- Neuss (Kaufhof)
- Leverkusen (Kaufhof)
- Duren (Kaufhof)
- Euskirchen (Gallery 2.0)
- Siburg (Kaufhof)
- Dortmund (Karstadt)
- Essen (Karstadt)
- Oberhausen (Gallery 2.0, Center)
- Mulheim an der Ruhr (Karstadt, Ruhr center)
- Bochum (Karstadt, Ruhr Park)
- Hagen (Kaufhof)
- Gelsenkirchen (Kaufhof)
- Bielefeld (Karstadt)
- Munster (Kaufhof, Ludgeristrasse)
- Munster (Karstadt, Salzstrasse)
- Paderborn (Kaufhof)
- Cleve (Gallery 2.0)
- Wesel (Kaufhof)
- wins (Karstadt)
- As of November 18, 2022; All statements without guarantee
Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: Buero.de interested in takeover – branches should become “Schön hier”.
There is still hope for a number of department store chain locations, because Buero.de would like to take over 47 branches of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof. Including eight shops in North Rhine-Westphalia (see list). A first hearing date (November 14) had broken out between Buero.de and the insolvency administrator of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, but this should be remedied in the near future.
Meanwhile, Buero.de had already stated that it would only comment to a very limited extent on the subsidiary acquisitions. A “unilateral nature of the far-reaching obligation of confidentiality – buero.de must remain silent, Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof may speak – can be accepted,” said Markus Schön on 18 November.
Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: 47 branches could be saved, including NRW locations
- Aachen (Kaufhof)
- Neuss (Kaufhof)
- Leverkusen (Kaufhof)
- Duren (Kaufhof)
- wins (Karstadt)
- Paderborn (Kaufhof)
- Euskirchen (Gallery 2.0)
- As of November 28, 2022; All statements without guarantee
Closures at Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof: What is Markus Schön of Buero.de planning?
If Buero.de were able to take over some branches of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, they would continue under a new name. Accordingly, the previous The Galeria Kartstadt Kaufhof department store will be called “Schön hier” in future.. The brand rights, the Internet domains and the logo have already been secured, says company boss Markus Schön. All of the approximately 5,500 employees should be able to stay on in the event of a takeover.
Overall, Buero.de wants to take on an “investment volume in the three-digit million”. However, the online retailer does not want to buy the premises of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, only to rent them out. For this, the entire design and partly also the concept of the department stores should change. The digital offering would play a bigger role. As a result, not all sizes would be in stock, but could be delivered to the customer’s home next day if required. In order to “provide a feeling of home and home”, regional products would also be offered.
Closures of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof in NRW: which branches could remain?
- Colony (Kaufhof, main street)
- Dusseldorf (Kaufhof, Königsallee)
- Munster (Kaufhof, Ludgeristrasse)
- Oberhausen (Gallery 2.0)
- Cleve (Gallery 2.0)
- Euskirchen (Gallery 2.0)
- As of November 28, 2022; All statements without guarantee
The closure of some other NRW branches of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof is generally rather unlikely. Especially the two Kaufhof locations in Cologne and Düsseldorf, which make noise Handelsblatt they are “untouchable” because “they constitute the heart of the company and bring the greatest turnover”. The Münster location is also not expected to close anytime soon, as the parent company of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof “Signa Holding” is the co-owner of the building.
The branches in Kleve, Oberhausen and the Euskirchen branch will also probably not be affected by a closure. These have all been recently renovated and converted to the “Galeria 2.0” concept. Of the The Galeria location in Euskirchen has only been reopened since April 2022. (os with dpa/AFP) Correct and independent information about what is happening in NRW – here our free 24RHEIN-Newsletter Subscribe to. Note: This article was last updated on November 18th. Innovation: Buero.de declares intention for further discussions
