Erfurt retail in the crisis: Popular shops close forever!

Erfurt retail in the crisis: Popular shops close forever!

in Erfurt's city center, especially around the Anger, something is happening: several long -term businesses have closed. You could say that there is something, because the clothing store "Only" folded its doors and the popular fashion jewelry chain "Claire’s" also surprisingly closed. What's going on? Well, in Schlösserstraße 20 there was a change at the business facade recently, and that plunges the shopping habits of many into a small crisis.

A look at the developments in Schlösserstrasse shows that it is cheerfully moved here. The former shop “Brink”, which switched to a larger area on the cathedral square last year, started. But right after he moved out, the jewelry and watch service "Rewa Timecheck" moved into the now free area, but, like many others, closed its doors just a few months later. In December 2024, the Erfurt wholesaler Naturkost opened its goals, but in February the shop was continued under the name "Best Ramp". Unfortunately, this chapter ended at the end of May after a final sale.

changes in retail

The shop area for the organic shop was only rented for the rent and the rental period was temporarily extended. Since June 11, 2023, however, the area has been shining in new splendor, since works of art are exhibited here, to match the popular Krämerbrückenfest, which was able to end this year. The art project 2.13 used the area, but the CityManagement Erfurt is still looking for a suitable subsequent tenant for the valuable shop.

The Krämerbrückenfest itself is now history, but many like to remember. The 49th Krämerbrückenfest will take place from June 19 to 21, 2026, and the anticipation is already increasing. In the middle of Erfurt's old town, the festival transforms the streets into a pulsating festival mile. Thuringia's largest old town festival offers music, theater and regional palate joys, with market stalls that have something on offer for everyone. For adults and children there is also a wide stage program and many small discoveries.

look at urban development

In a time when cities such as Erfurt are increasingly changing, the Federal Government's urban development report shows that large cities have attracted more and more people for about 15 years. Almost 900,000 newcomers between 2014 and 2018 are a clear sign of this development. With a strong focus on improving the quality of life and living space situation, cities such as Erfurt are also challenged, even if only about 10 percent of people live in rural communities. The federal government has also undertaken to support the municipalities with grants and to promote housing.

Special attention is currently on the activation of building land and promoting sustainable urban development concepts. The next urban development report will be discussed again in a few years in the next urban development report. The signs are good that Erfurt continues to develop positively and remains attractive for residents and visitors.