Haubersbronn is losing its treasures: Post & Mehr shop closes forever!

Haubersbronn is losing its treasures: Post & Mehr shop closes forever!

Angela and Dagobert Windolf have made the difficult decision to close their Post & Mehr store in Haubersbronn. This shop, located at Wieslauftalstrasse 70 in Schorndorf-Haubersbronn, offered a lively mix of selected carpets from the Orient, herb and salt mixtures as well as dips and mustards from Maier's Genuss-Manufaktur in Miedelsbach. They also stocked Zumhofer pasta, beekeeper's honey from Althütte and home accessories from the Netherlands. The Deutsche Post service, which benefited many customers, was also an important service offering.

The closure reflects the challenges retailers have faced in recent years, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic. Many stores have reported a drastic decline in customer frequency and sales since the beginning of the crisis. In particular, the economic conditions, which were characterized by lockdowns and contact bans, made it difficult for many small retailers to survive.

Effects of the corona pandemic

The corona pandemic represents one of the greatest economic challenges for the retail sector since the Second World War. The first lockdown in Germany was imposed in mid-March 2020, which led to temporary closures of many economic sectors. While many shops reopened after the lockdowns at the end of April 2020 with distancing and hygiene measures, city centers remained severely affected. The catering, cultural and leisure sectors were particularly affected by the massive restrictions, which also placed a heavy burden on retail.

The federal government responded with aid packages to support struggling businesses, but many retailers were unable to recover despite these measures. Sellers in various industries, including fashion and furniture stores, have had to deal with sudden declines in sales. The German Trade Association (HDE) estimated that complete closures of non-food retail would result in daily losses of around one billion euros.

Shifts in consumer behavior

Online retail, on the other hand, benefited significantly from the closures of brick-and-mortar stores and recorded a 24% increase in sales in April 2020. Many consumers turned to the internet during this difficult time and purchases of food and drugstore items remained relatively stable. Nevertheless, there was a high level of uncertainty regarding the change in consumer behavior, particularly with regard to the perception of price reductions due to the VAT reduction in July 2020.

The last corona protection measures expired in April 2023, but the economic effects are still being felt today. The closure of the Windolfs store is just another example of the long-term impact the pandemic is having on retail. Business owners and consumers continue to look for ways to navigate this new reality.

For Windolfs, the closure of the store not only represents the end of a dream, but also a reflection on the significant challenges that retailers have to overcome in the current economic situation. The hope remains that retail can recover and connections with local customers can be strengthened again.

For more information on retail challenges, read reports from ZVW and Statista see.