Weimar has been losing appreciated toy shop for 33 years - now!

Weimar has been losing appreciated toy shop for 33 years - now!

Weimar, Deutschland - in Weimar, a touch of sadness spreads, because with the toy shop "Michael’s toy land", a popular meeting point for young and old closes its doors. The owner Michael Rott operated this shop with a lot of love for 33 years and can be proud of a loyal customer. By the end of December, he and his team offer a closing sale with a 40 percent discount to say goodbye to the last articles, including family games, fidget spinners and homework books. But the reasons for the closure are anything but happy. Runs of sales during the Corona pandemic and the constant increase in online trading did the rest to let the charming shop, which provided many kindergartens with toys, to let it go out. In addition, five employees lose their jobs with the last day of opening.

Despite these dark clouds, Michael Rott looks back on the past 33 years with a positive look. He is not the only one who felt the challenges that pandemic brought with it. A recently provided report by the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research emphasizes that inpatient retailers suffer significantly from the consequences of pandemic, especially in weaker inner-city locations. While rental prices have dropped in larger cities, other parts of the city are more stable. The dynamics in the economies are influenced by a wide variety of conditions and this can also be seen in the closures of shops, which were sometimes inevitable in the course of the Corona rules.

pandemic and retail: A look at the legal framework

Inpatient retail fought for its survival, especially during corona pandemic. The Federal Administrative Court recently confirmed the legal foundations that led to over 800 square meters of sales space during the early days of pandemic. These measures were considered necessary to contain the spread of the virus. Retailers had to adhere to these guidelines, which in many cases led to significant loss of sales and increasingly maneuvered the shops into the red numbers. The decision was made from Leipzig after an electronics market operator had been in court against this regulation, which has now been recognized as relatively and lawful. The Saxon Higher Administrative Court confirmed that the reduced sales area was a reasonable measure to minimize human collections.

The closures of "Michael’s Toyginal" and other small shops are part of a larger trend that could change the retail landscape in Germany sustainably. A report by the BBSR highlights that the pandemic has accelerated the decline in sales areas in many cities. The changeover to digital trade has also left its mark and the competition in this area is becoming increasingly strengthened. The unstoppable trend seems to be hard on the small, inpatient shops.

The closure of a traditional business like "Michael’s toy" is a strong sign of how much the retail landscape has changed in recent years. Michael Rott, who celebrated numerous festivals and made generations of children happy with his range, will be missing in the region.