Rottacher shop owner calls for opening on Sunday - she says in an interview

The small shopkeepers were hit hard by the Corona crisis. Constance Niedner from Rottach-Egern also struggles with high losses. It has a clear demand from the Prime Minister. 

Rottach-Egern - Constance Niedner (46) suffers from the consequences of the corona crisis. On March 18, like all other retailers, she had to close her small boutique "Jagdfieber" on the Northern Main Street in Rottach-Egern. In the meantime, operations have started again, but the high losses cannot be made up for by the businesswoman. With a multi-page open letter, the Rottacher has now addressed Prime Minister Markus Söder - and also brings into play a well-known stimulus topic: the Sunday opening. We spoke to Niedner about their move.

Ms. Niedner, as a small, owner-managed retailer, you feel disadvantaged in the Corona crisis. Why?

Constance Niedner: The corona crisis hit us all hard. In many other sectors, there is now always talk of "special circumstances" when it comes to economic stimulus, which must be taken into account: in the catering trade, at accommodation establishments, artists etc. However, the fact that we too have very special circumstances has so far been completely ignored. We retailers have to order our goods such as clothing, shoes, accessories and bags for spring in the autumn of the previous year. These orders can no longer be canceled or the goods returned. In a shop like mine with 60 to 70 square meters of retail space, there are quickly bills of 100,000 euros that are now being accrued. At the same time, like everyone else, I have to continue to pay the running costs and high rents and I would also like to support my 450-euro staff.

Read here: Open Sundays: Mayor is annoyed with the district office

At the same time, you complain of breakdown in sales.

Constance Niedner: Spring is usually exactly the time when the first tourists come and shop. That is the money that I would have used to pay my bills now. I have no chance to catch up. Customers are still very reluctant to buy: only a few want to try a sweater or shirt with a mask. In addition, I can only let a maximum of five customers into my shop at the same time.

How much sales did you lose compared to the previous year? Can you give specific numbers?

Constance Niedner: After April the loss was 50 percent compared to the previous year, now it is 45 percent. My suppliers are still paying me many outstanding payments, and that's probably how most of my colleagues are. But if all suppliers wanted their money tomorrow, many of us would no longer be able to pay. I am incredibly happy about my regular customers who came back to me from day one. But walking customers are simply missing. In addition, many have now grooved in online trading.

You wrote to Prime Minister Söder in a multi-page letter - a desperate call for help?

Constance Niedner: I wouldn't call it despair. I am rather disappointed that we owner-managed retailers are simply being left out, following the initial promises. We are all a really big “association” and together we have as many employees as the car industry in Germany. But as "lone warriors" we have much less leverage than the big companies, we cannot threaten layoffs and we have no lobby.

In the letter they repeat the well-known demand that the shops are allowed to open on Sundays. What would you hope for from this?

Constance Niedner: You can see in other resorts where the shops are open on Sundays how well this works. Customers finally have time to stroll and shop. Neither the grocery trade, nor drugstores, nor the large department stores need to open - but we little ones, who cannot have a profitable online presence due to our orientation, should be allowed to decide for ourselves when we want to work for our company. I think everyone should be allowed to open up if they think they can achieve something with it. For a resort like Rottach-Egern, being together on Sunday is simply antiquated.

So the corona crisis would be a good time to cut those old braids off?

Constance Niedner: Yes, that would be a good opportunity to try out the Sunday opening and to finally put an end to the long debate about it. If it doesn't work, we retailers will close on Sundays on their own. But I am convinced that it would work. It is not for nothing that online retailers make 60 percent of their sales on Sundays. We already have exceptions in the spa regions in Bavaria: traditional costume shops, shops selling typical local goods, souvenir shops and the church's religious goods shops are allowed to open, but not the rest of us. Why? After all, almost every guest brings a nice memory from their vacation. But shouldn't we let him decide for himself whether it's a cowbell or a scarf? It would be perfectly sufficient, for example, to open from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. and only during the season.

Here you will find all current developments on the corona crisis in the Miesbach district

Do you feel that you are a lone warrior or do you have support from other retailers in the Tegernsee valley?

Constance Niedner: As a Wahl-Rottacher, my place is very important to me, and I find it terrible to see that there is more and more vacancy and buildings are decaying. My colleagues feel the same way, so I get a lot of encouragement. But there are also some who are not open for Sundays. It is certainly not worth it for everyone. But everyone who would like to try it should have the opportunity. That would also give us retailers a bit of time to serve more customers. People line up in front of the shop for sausage and cheese, but not necessarily to buy a sweater.

Also interesting: This is how hard the coronavirus hits the restaurateurs in the Tegernsee valley

So you're also fighting a piece of injustice in politics with your letter?

Constance Niedner: I don't feel treated unfairly directly - but especially for our industry, some things are simply forgotten or not considered. One thing is certain: if we have to close retailers, this will have far-reaching consequences. Who comes to a place where all the shops are empty?

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