Einzelhandel: Der Weg ins Desaster – so wurden die Marken Kaufhof und Karstadt systematisch zerstört

Kaufhof and Karstadt, once retail giants, have been systematically destroyed, leaving behind a shell of their former selves. The Christmas season, once a peak time of the year for the department stores, now barely contributes half of their annual revenue. This decline has led Karstadt to become known as Galeria, and the once bustling fourth quarter may not be enough to save the insolvent company, which now operates under the name Galeria.

The company's financial situation is dire, even to the point where it cannot recoup the costs of paying its employees' wages during insolvency. The crisis has become so severe that the majority of the store's inventory no longer belongs to Kaufhof and Karstadt. Regalia displaying brands like Fynch Hatton and Fissler are cordoned off with red and white tape, bearing the message, "This brand is temporarily not for sale."

Numerous suppliers have given the manufacturers a proprietary interest in their goods, accounting for nearly half of the inventory. The remaining products were taken over by Gordon Brothers as collateral for a million-dollar loan.

With the revenue, the insolvency administrator can only claim nine percent, leaving the remaining portion under the control of Gordon Brothers. After decades of gradual decline, the once prominent retail icon is now facing its fourth bankruptcy. The only remaining entity of the original company is the Freiburg branch, which is now owned by a separate company.

Only 12,000 employees remain at the retailer, a fraction of the over 160,000 people who worked for Karstadt and Kaufhof during their heyday. The question remains: how did such a once thriving retail behemoth come to this?