Village shops as social meeting places: surviving the crisis!

Village shops as social meeting places: surviving the crisis!

More and more village shops in the region are taking up the challenge of acting not only as shopping places, but also as social meeting places for the community. This social function is particularly emphasized in the villages of Haslach and Primisweiler. Jörg Endraß, director of a village shop, emphasizes how important it is that the population supports these shops in order to secure their existence. The financial hurdles increased significantly during and after the pandemic, which put many village shops in a precarious position. The village shop in Niederwangen had to close in July 2024 due to insufficient sales, which illustrates the vulnerability of these facilities.

The village shops in Schomburg, on the other hand, are reporting the first positive developments: After years of being in the red, the shop managed to slip into the profit zone with a profit of 667 euros on a turnover of just under one million euros. Nevertheless, the financial situation remains tense, especially with the upcoming increase in the minimum wage to 15 euros, which could increase wage costs by up to 30,000 euros. These financial risks are being discussed intensively and an increase in sales of 100,000 euros is required to compensate for this increase.

Social function of village shops

The social role of village shops is highlighted by Nadja Kiedaisch, member of the supervisory board. She explains how important the shops are for creating and securing jobs in the localities. Thanks to their multifunctional offerings – from sales rooms to smaller communication zones – village shops also offer space for social interactions. Mayor Roland Gaus urgently appeals to the villagers to shop in these shops in order to avoid the closure of further shops.

But it is not just the supply of food that is crucial. Village shops also provide relief for the climate through short distances and promote a closer connection to the region. In many villages in the past, having your own food supply was a given, but today people often have to drive to the nearest town, which represents an additional hurdle, especially for older people.

Challenges and opportunities

Nora Hartmann's research, which is based on a master's thesis, shows that small shops are increasingly having difficulty asserting themselves against large supermarkets and discounters. Six major suppliers now dominate 90% of food retail. This has a significant impact on the quality of life in rural areas and on local offerings.

Despite these challenges, there are many benefits that village shops bring. They act as social meeting places, create regional added value and can integrate additional offerings such as cafés or art exhibitions. Accessibility is also an important aspect, as it allows less mobile people access to social activities and increases the attractiveness of the location.

However, start-ups face a number of hurdles. It requires thorough planning to assess the needs of the villagers and develop an economically viable approach. Political support is also crucial. It is necessary for village shops to be promoted at all political levels and for inter-communal cooperation to be strengthened. A village shop network could help to support individual shops and overcome the challenges together.

In an increasingly difficult market environment, it is of the utmost importance that village shops continue to exist not only as a supply point, but also as a meeting place in the communities.