Even if Frederik Holthaus (57) does not know when he can reopen his Isar department store in Geretsried - the spring goods ordered are there and are being put on the shelves.
Geretsried - The lockdown is over for them: Hairdressers, cosmetic studios, hardware stores and gardeners are allowed to reopen from March 1st.
Retailers are still left behind.
You need to be patient.
Even if Frederik Holthaus (57) does not know when he will be allowed to reopen his Isar department store - the spring goods ordered are there and are being put on the shelves.
Mr. Holthaus, when was the last time you locked the shop door?
Frederik Holthaus:
That was on our last day of sale last year, on December 15th.
That day we stayed up a little longer because many customers still wanted to buy Christmas presents.
No stress before Christmas: It was definitely a new experience for you and your staff.
Frederik Holthaus: It
was a new Christmas
feeling
for all of us, because otherwise we always work until December 24th.
My two oldest daughters also no longer had school.
So the entire family was in the Christmas vacation from December 16.
I deliberately gave my employees free time so that they could enjoy preparing and celebrating Christmas in peace.
In this respect, they were once quiet, contemplative holidays.
So no one has been in the department store since mid-December?
Frederik Holthaus:
A couple of final theses have been completed between the years.
But in January and February almost all of my 23 employees were on short-time work.
Only the office and the receiving department were occupied.
Payments have to be made all the time, the phone rings occasionally, and goods are also delivered.
Operation is on the back burner.
Frederik Holthaus:
That's how it is.
The lights are off and we're just heating the offices.
Do you have contact to your employees?
Frederik Holthaus:
Yes, we communicate via WhatsApp.
Once a week I send out an update with news.
And if an employee needs something, that's no problem.
Then he can come and pick it up.
But “Click & Collect” is not an alternative for you?
Frederik Holthaus:
We tried that during the first lockdown.
But this requires at least two employees, and the whole house must be lit and heated.
It just wasn't financially worth it.
So this time I did without it completely, which is a shame because I feel sorry for the customers.
Nevertheless, customers will have contacted you.
Frederik Holthaus:
Yes, occasionally.
We then recommend the RID department store, which is run by a colleague friend.
He has a great online shop with 20,000 articles, which he also sends.
He also offers "Click & Collect".
The department store has a similar range to ours.
Is the Christmas decoration still hanging in the Isar department store?
Frederik Holthaus:
We cut Christmas between the years, as long as the employees were not yet on short-time work.
We had also cleared away the winter goods and stored them in our large cellar.
But only partly because we still had the hope that we might be able to open again in mid-January.
Unfortunately that was not the case.
From next week we will clear away all winter goods and assemble the new goods.
No matter when we open, customers want to buy spring items now.
What do you do with the winter goods in the basement?
Frederik Holthaus:
We hope that we will be able to open normally again in the next winter season.
Then the goods are sold with discounts.
It's not bad.
Did you order less due to Corona?
Frederik Holthaus:
Due to the construction site on our doorstep, we had already ordered less for 2020.
That was our great luck, because in fashion you have to order half a year in advance.
But it is still enough that the shelves and stands will be well stocked.
If we are allowed to open the house again at some point, we will certainly be able to show a really nice selection of spring and summer fashion.
How much is the construction site stressing you?
Frederik Holthaus:
Of course, it costs us sales, we can already feel that.
I estimate that ten percent of sales are extra that we lack.
And you also have to cope financially with Corona. A feat of strength?
Frederik Holthaus:
Last year we applied for immediate aid and received it quickly.
Even an acute loan from the LfA through our house bank went relatively quickly.
Now we hope that we will get bridging aid.
But that is very complicated and bureaucratic.
From March 1st, hairdressers, cosmetic studios, hardware stores and nurseries are allowed to reopen. Not retail. What do you think?
Frederik Holthaus:
We had incidences between 160 and 210 for weeks, from mid-November until actually our last day of opening.
All shops were open under Corona conditions.
We had a lot of customers in the house and nothing happened.
Now we have incidences around 45 in the county and we're not allowed to open.
We are happy for all colleagues who are allowed to work again.
But we dealers feel that this is a certain injustice.
It annoys me personally because I suffer from it economically.
On the other hand, of course, I understand the concerns and fear of our politicians about the virus mutations, which are much more contagious.
It goes without saying that the politicians are extremely cautious.
It doesn't really matter whether I buy an ironing board in a hardware store or in the Isar department store, doesn't it?
Frederik Holthaus:
Sure.
That's why this decision is incomprehensible to me.
You can no longer justify this with a supply contract like in pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets.
But hardware stores apparently have a good lobby that they have achieved an opening.
The Isar department store will open again on ...
Frederik Holthaus:
March 8th.
At least I strongly hope so.
We will definitely prepare everything for it.
The pressure on politics is already extremely high.
The concerns on the other hand, too.
But it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify why a hardware store is allowed to open and a department store is not.
How are you personally, Mr. Holthaus?
Frederik Holthaus:
I can't stay too long in the department store because otherwise I get frustrated and angry.
That's why I'm more at home and do something with my three daughters.
I spend more time with my family.
You shouldn't take the whole thing personally, don't get too involved and have to look at the situation from a certain distance.
Otherwise you drive yourself crazy.
no
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