On the corner of Friedensplatz and Friedrichstraße, where a Commerzbank used to be, workers are gutting the building in preparation for a new burger restaurant. The popular burger chain “Hans im Glück” will open there soon; an exact date has not yet been given. It will depend on how quickly workers can finish. A new “Hans im Glück” has already been opened in Poppelsdorf and a third is planned to open in Beuel in August.

Meanwhile, the bankers will go on banking at their original location. The move of Commerzbank to Friedensplatz was only a temporary measure while their original building at Münsterplatz underwent major renovations. Commerzbank is now back to its old location.

For those who like it sweet, there is now chocolate to go along with the gummi bears. Next to Haribo on the Straße am Neutor is now a Lindt Chocolate Boutique. The shop with home and fashion accessories is also being gutted and renovated and will open again, although a time frame has not been given. At the north end of Sternstraße, a Tchibo store is going back to it’s original space where hand bags had been sold in the interim.

WMF is closing it’s location on Sternstraße and in its place will come a Ritual cosmetics chain. What remains unclear is who will take over the space where the large stationary store, Carthaus used to be. The former hat shop, Hut Weber at the central market also closed down and the space is being renovated but the new owner declined to say what the space will be used for. A new outdoor store will move in where Butlers and Cult once were between Wenzelgasse and Bonngasse. Renovations are also underway there.

Karina Kröber of City Marketing is happy that buildings do not stay empty for long in Bonn city center but she warns, “The rents can’t keep climbing because the smaller businesses will no longer be able to compete with the larger ones.” Kröber also emphasized that a priority is to keep the city easy to reach by car.

(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen)