End of an era: Weimer furniture store in Leonberg closes forever!

End of an era: Weimer furniture store in Leonberg closes forever!

The traditional Möbel Weimer store in Leonberg is closing at the end of the year, marking the end of a 70-year era. The managing director Markus Weimer, 64 years old, is giving up the business for health reasons. The furniture store, located at Hindenburgstrasse 58, has played an important role in the region's furniture and kitchen trade over the past decades. “The closure is a difficult step, but it is the right one at the right time,” said Weimer in a personal statement.

The sale has already begun: A total clearance sale has been launched, with furniture, model kitchens and various items being offered at up to 50% off. Buyers must pay attention to some conditions, such as a clearance bonus per person and minimum purchase values ​​for furniture and kitchens. It was also pointed out that prior sales and printing errors cannot be ruled out, which underlines the urgency of the sale. After the Weimer furniture store closes, the property will be put to another use, which has not yet been specified, as Stuttgarter Zeitung reports.

Crisis in the furniture trade

The closure of the Weimer furniture store reflects a broader crisis in the furniture trade. The industry has suffered greatly in recent years, as many furniture stores in Germany are faced with significant declines in sales. Sales in the German furniture trade are estimated to decline by 6 to 8 percent in 2024, despite continuous price increases. There are many reasons for this: general consumer reluctance, market saturation due to early purchases during the corona pandemic and falling building permit numbers. In many furniture stores, restaurants have been dismantled because they are no longer profitable.

The situation is alarming: the number of visitors to furniture stores has fallen by 10 to 20 percent in the last two years; In some months it was even 30 to 40 percent. According to Welt, around 40 percent of furniture suppliers have disappeared from the market in the last 15 years. This wave of consolidation is likely to continue as furniture retailers are forced to rethink their business models and seek alternative uses for their real estate. The decline in companies with at least 50 employees is particularly serious, which has fallen to just 414 since 2019, which corresponds to a loss of around 13,000 jobs.

Möbel Weimer is another example of how shopping in furniture stores no longer has the social significance it once had. The integration of leisure and dining options is increasingly being questioned as customers look for new, engaging shopping experiences. Preserving these experiences could be crucial for the future of furniture retail.