How everyone can help the stores survive the corona crisis

The exit restriction hits businesses in Holzkirchen hard. A real estate agent is appealing not to place orders anywhere on the Internet now - and businesses are looking for new ways to reach their customers.

Wooden churches - black foils and towels hanging in shop windows. Closed shops, empty streets. With these ghost town scenarios, Mario Haitzer wanted to get customers in Holzkirchen and Warngau to think for a day. You should realize what it would be like if there were no longer any retail outlets in the area, because everyone only shops on the Internet. A date for the “Zappenduster” campaign has not yet been set.

This has now been done anyway, because: "Now Corona has come before us," says the 57-year-old. "Now it is so zappenduster." Due to the Corona crisis, the state ordered many shops to close, exit restrictions apply throughout Bavaria.

That is precisely why the Holzkirchner real estate agent Haitzer makes an appeal to all citizens: "Strengthens regional retail and buys locally." Because: "At some point it will continue. And the shops will still be there after that, ”Haitzer hopes.

Support is needed so that Corona does not lead to the store dying

For this reason, customers should not simply order products that they do not need straight away somewhere on the Internet. One or the other could certainly wait. "Because Amazon, Zalando and Co. do nothing for our region, except burdening them with delivery traffic," says Haitzer. "Ask yourself the important question when you place your next Internet order: Isn't that also possible in the next shop with personal and friendly advice?" After all, the stores are full of merchants paid for by the dealers.

Haitzer, who lives in Warngau, is a man who knows the local business world. He runs a real estate office that also rents out retail space.

In August 2018, Haitzer launched the Mach mit Kauf local campaign. “A local initiative where everyone can participate.” He designed flyers and stickers that read “In Hoizkiacha dahoam. I buy locally! ”Or“ In Warngau dahoam ”, which he distributed to around 100 participating retailers. And that should remind people to shop locally.

Holzkirchner location promotion wants to help retailers

"Before Corona, the situation in Holzkirchner retail was already catastrophic," says Haitzer. Frequent changes in stores showed this. Many would have to withdraw with debts. Eva-Maria Schmitz, location promoter in the Holzkirchner town hall, contradicts: Before Corona, the situation was “not great, but not so catastrophic,” she says. Despite delicate phases.

Since Corona has raged, the situation has been difficult, both agree. "Now it's about bare existence," says Haitzer. There was panic. Many business operators have to deal with short-time work.

New ideas are needed from the stores themselves

The retailers would have to come up with new pillars, explains Schmitz. In addition, many shops are now increasingly offering a delivery service. There are many ideas, for example outfit advice from a distance. The municipality has bundled the offers on a list. Among other things, there is the traditional hat and costume shop. His industry is suffering, says owner Bernhard Redel. "Usually there are a lot of festivals taking place around which people buy traditional costumes." Communions, confirmations. It all fails. His business has increased the online shop. "Yesterday I delivered three parcels myself," says Redel. "We have a lot of hits on our website, people look at the pictures more often." And dream about dirndls and lederhosen.

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If the customer cannot go shopping, the shopping comes to the customer

According to operator Markus Schmidt, the Bio-Terra market, which is still open, currently supplies ten to 20 households a day. To customers who are not allowed out because of the corona crisis. The employees wear face masks and gloves and hand over the goods directly or put them on the doorstep. At the moment interested people can order by phone or email, soon there will be a real online shop.

Haitzer is optimistic: "Social and solidarity - we can do that!"

A list of delivery services for the shops can be found on the Holzkirchner municipal website: www.holzkirchen.de