Fresh market Knittel: 90 years of local supply in Schönaich!

Fresh market Knittel: 90 years of local supply in Schönaich!

Walter Knittel opened a grocery store in Schönaich in 1935, which is now known as Frischmarkt Knittel. Since its beginnings, the supermarket has been run by the Knittel and Andermann families and over the decades has developed into an important local supplier for the residents of Schönaich and the surrounding Schönbuchlichting. What is notable is that it is the last owner-managed supermarket in the Böblingen district. The original sales room only had an area of ​​30 square meters. Today the market is located on the corner of Jägerstrasse and Rosenstrasse, where it continues to thrive.

While the Knittel fresh market has a long tradition, a new local store recently opened on Siemensstrasse in Schönaich, which is aimed at the needs of commuters. Mayor Anna Walther, together with Stefan Fritz and Cornelia Veit, opened the new supermarket, which has a generous sales area of ​​800 square meters. There was a lot of activity on the first day of opening, indicating that the market is attracting a lot of interest. Operator Stefan Fritz explained that the market was completed on time and had already attracted a large number of customers. Particular attention is paid to a range that offers many regional products.

Historical development of supermarkets

The development of supermarkets in Germany has changed significantly since the 1950s. At that time there were only 39 self-service stores in the country. The first large supermarket opened in Cologne in 1957 and offered a sales area of ​​1,700 square meters. Driven by increasing prosperity after the Second World War, the number of supermarkets and their customers grew. In the 1960s, good food was considered a status symbol, and even though prices were high due to price controls at the time, consumer demands increased.

A turning point in the industry came with the introduction of discount stores in the 1960s, with brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht opening their first low-price discount store in 1962. This development led to the development of supermarkets with larger sales areas and parking facilities, which appeared in rural and urban areas since the 1970s. But the trend back to the city centers also became apparent as people's lifestyles changed. Supermarkets are increasingly responding to these changes by opening smaller branches that offer longer opening hours and cater to customer convenience.

In addition, the last few years have been marked by a digital revolution in the industry, forcing many supermarkets to rethink their welcoming concepts. Paying with your cell phone and the use of automated goods planning are now a reality. Self-checkout checkouts help to minimize waiting times at the checkouts. QR codes are also used to ensure product traceability.

In this rapidly changing retail landscape, the Knittel fresh market remains not only a place of tradition, but also a signpost for the future of local shopping in Schönaich, while the new Nahkauf addresses the demands of a modern, commuting clientele.

These events and changes are not only important for the residents of Schönaich, but also exemplify the entire development of retail in Germany, as presented in the comprehensive history of supermarkets. For further information on this topic, we refer to the detailed articles by SZBZ, Krzbb and Planet knowledge.