New shops and closures Retail news from Bonn’s city centre
BONN · A hint of the Big Apple is coming to Bonn: „Saks Off 5th“ is opening in the former Sportarena Remigiusstraße. Also, the perfume store Vollmar is expanding. The delicatessen shop „Delice Bonn“ and the „Lila Laden“ are both closing.
The former Sportarena turned into a new outlet for designer wear: „Saks Off 5th“, which is owned by the Canadian company Hudson’s Bay like the Galeria Kaufhof GmbH, has opened on Thursday. On over 3,000 square metres, approximately 50,000 products like men’s, women’s and children’s fashion as well as footwear and leather products of various high quality manufactures, will be for sale. Store manager Robert Barth had not just organised a band to entertain customers on the opening day, but had a huge cake delivered to the store.
Approximately 60 staff members are employed at the designer outlet, eight of whom were formerly working for the Sportarena. Other former employees have changed to Galeria Kaufhof. All of the Sportarena staff have been offered opportunities for continuing contracts at Galeria Kaufhof or „Saks Off 5th“.
The premises on the ground floor are still connected with the first level of Galeria Kaufhof, where children’s clothes and toys are available. To compensate for the closure of the Sportarena, Galeria Kaufhof offers sports equipment on 1,000 square metres, said Kaufhof manager Harry Benzrath.
The reconstruction is already underway. „We are planning to open this area before the kick-off of the Soccer World Cup, for definite“, said the manager. Some of the other store levels will also change, Benzrath announced. Men’s and women’s wear will be moved up a storey. The home textiles area has already moved to the basement, beside household goods.
Another opening is on the horizon in Bonn’s city centre: The perfume store Vollmar - in Bonn since 1911 - is extending its main branch on the Sternstraße and is opening a make-up event hall in the former furniture hall between the shop premises and the Friedrichstraße. The special feature of the extension: The charm of an urban loft means the industrial building turns into an event shopping place. Customers can also get refreshments in the café and the cocktail bar. The opening is scheduled for April, 17.
There are also some closures in the city. The delicatessen shop and bistro „Delice Bonn“, which was there since 2015, at the corner of Bischofsplatz, has been closed for a while. Reasons for the closure were not revealed. The premises are now occupied by a photocopying and print shop.
After 40 years in business, the „Lila Laden“ in the Kaiserpassage will close at the beginning of May. Owner Monika Gräfin Adelmann, who sold unusual jewellery and accessories, blamed failed rent negotiations as the reason.
Karina Kröber of the City Marketing association is at any rate delighted about the openings at Remigiusstraße and Sternstraße. „The customer frequency in the city is currently scarily low“, she said. „Thus we are very happy about each new attraction to draw customers in.“
(Original Text: Lisa Inhoffen, Translation: Mareike Graepel)
