Last toy in Weimar closes: 33 years full of memories!

Last toy in Weimar closes: 33 years full of memories!

Weimar, Deutschland - in the heart of Thuringia, more precisely in Weimar, a popular toy shop closes its doors. "Michael’s Toy Land" in the "Atrium" shopping center will load a long 40 percent discount until the end of December. Many know this shop, which has existed for over 33 years, and have spent countless hours of browsing for family games, fidget spinners and homework books. Owner Michael Rott, who has built up a loyal regular customer, looks back on the past few years despite the sad decision. "I always did my best," he says, while standing in front of the shelves with toys that will soon be empty. The closure is primarily due to the declines during corona pandemic and increasing online trade, which have strongly added to stationary trade, such as thueringen24.de reported.

With the closure of "Michael’s toy", five employees also lose their jobs, which is a bitter pill, especially today. The developments in trade overall are anything but gratifying. The Germany (HDE) trade association recently warned that around 4,500 shops in Germany could close in 2023. President Alexander von Preen described this development as "dramatic". The inner cities are not only affected by a noticeable vacancy in Weimar, but all over Germany. For comparison: In 2015 there were still around 370,000 shops in Germany, now there are only about 300,000, as the zdfheute.de reported.

A difficult stand for retail

The causes of these developments are complex. Corona pandemic has drastically tightened the location of the retailers. Lockdowns and contact bans led to massive sales declines, especially in the non-food sector, while system-relevant shops such as food trade were able to continue. These challenges have been in the bones for years, and the recovery after these difficult times remains stressful for many, as can be read on Statista.com

The consumption mood is not exactly rosy through various factors, including geopolitical uncertainties. The Ukraine War contributes to uncertainty, and even if retail could expect growth again from the beginning of 2025, many dealers are skeptical. From Preen, the cities therefore ask for more attractive design of their inner cities and, among other things, also propose tax benefits for investments in the retail segment.

a worrying future

For Michael Rott and his loyal customers, an era ends with the closure of "Michael’s toy". Many a kindergarten will in future be dependent on the donations from unsuccessful articles. Maybe one day we will be able to enter a business again that welcomes us with a smile? The discussion about the future of inpatient retail remains exciting and requires creative solutions to bring back the living streets that many of us have grown.