In Wismar, all eyes have been on the Karstadt flagship store since the Galeria group announced that it would significantly thin out its department store network in Germany. The CDU wants to fight for the location.
Wismar/Essen (dpa/mv) – After the announcement by the department store group Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof that it would close numerous stores in Germany, there is concern in Wismar about the Karstadt parent store. In an application made public on Thursday, the CDU in the Hanseatic city appealed to the Galeria management to become aware of the history and the special importance of the parent company and to preserve the location. Wismar’s Mayor Thomas Beyer (SPD) should invite the management of Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof GmbH to visit.
In 1881, Rudolph Karstadt founded his “Karstadt cloth, manufacturing and confectionery business” in Wismar with cheap fixed prices for cash payment. Today’s department store was built in 1907.
The Galeria group has so far left open which stores are to be closed. It was only said that the existing branch network should be significantly reduced. One wants to part with houses that can no longer be operated profitably. “At this point in time, we cannot make any statements about individual locations, which are now the subject of a very careful individual case study and analysis,” said a spokesman.
Against the background of the energy crisis and the slump in consumption, the management of the department store group announced on Monday that at least a third of the 131 department stores in Germany are to be closed and layoffs for operational reasons are unavoidable. The company sought rescue in protective shield proceedings for the second time in less than two years.
