Because of the new building of the V-Baumarkt in Peiting: Obi Schongau closes at the end of the year

Created: 09/30/2022, 16:00

By: Barbara Schlotterer-Fuchs

“Thank you for more than 30 years in Schongau”: the Obi team placed this lettering above the company logo.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

The worst fears in Schongau have come true: the Obi hardware store in Schongau is closing its doors at the end of the year.

According to managing director Christian Weissinger, the new construction of the V DIY store in Peiting is to blame.

Schongau – "We tried to prevent it, we didn't want it to happen that way." Christian Weissinger shrugs his shoulders.

For 25 years he has been managing director of the Obi market in Schongau, which has been in Schongau-West for more than 30 years.

At the end of the year it's over.

Because of the overwhelming competition in Peiting, where the XXL-V hardware store will soon open its doors.

With the decision, the worst fears in the city come true.

We look back: The city councilors in Schongau are sticking around at the beginning of July 2020: the majority of them reject the huge construction project in neighboring Peiting.

The city of Schongau is involved in the construction management process as a representative of public interests.

The fears at the time are reflected in an official statement from the city: "The V-Baumarkt will assume a monopoly position and dominate the market." Because of the immense size of the building project on 28,000 square meters, SPD city councilor Ilona Böse feared: "It It is questionable whether an Obi survives that.”

Manager sees no other way out

The gloomy forebodings are now coming true.

Christian Weissinger sees no other way out.

In addition to the Obi in Schongau, he also has several Obi hardware stores in the Allgäu.

"I noticed the development of the V DIY stores at all locations." An Obi location like Schongau would simply be pushed out.

As soon as he heard the rumor of a huge new building in Peiting, "the alarm bells went off in my head".

Weissinger is surprised at the apparent lack of regional agreements between Peiting, Schongau and Altenstadt.

And also about the fact that the government of Upper Bavaria has approved the project in the dimensions that have now been built.

"It's pure repression," says Weissinger angrily.

And "at the expense of those who have made an effort for 30 years".

Closing the shop at the end of the year: Obi managing director Christian Weissinger.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

"It was clear that three hardware stores in Peiting and Schongau would not be able to survive." Now what was feared would have happened: "V-Markt has a monopoly," says Weissinger.

And that doesn't bode well for customers given the lack of competition.

Why is he already pulling the ripcord at the end of the year?

“We know that from next year we should only expect losses.

There is no point in continuing here.

And we want to say a venerable goodbye after all these years.”

Number of employees has already been reduced

The inventory is to be sold off with discounts by the end of the year.

"And then we'll turn off the lights." The number of employees has also been reduced.

Only 16 instead of 24 employees currently run the shop.

“I let my employees go in advance.

Even in part to the V-Markt.” The lack of workers is now being compensated for by reduced opening hours.

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However, the remaining part of the troupe was not in a bad mood.

"My employees have been there for many years, they will stay somewhere in the group of companies," Weissinger indicates that he will try to accommodate his people in the other hardware stores.

He estimates that it will be two to three years before the Obi hardware store in Schongau is wound up as a company.

Of course, there is a bit of melancholy when Weissinger talks about the end after so many years.

"I see that as a correction." Because: Weissinger has long been in talks with the landlord.

"We don't want to disappear completely from the scene."

It is still unclear how the vacated rooms will be used in the future

Due to the attractive location, he would like to raise something else in the same building after Obi-Aus.

And what?

Weissinger is keeping a low profile.

The plans are not yet advanced enough to talk about it publicly.

"It will definitely not be a hardware store," he emphasizes.

“What can come is something for the population, we have given it a lot of thought.

We don't just want to shut down and leave a ruin behind." And further: "We've been happy to do it here for the last 32 years.

But we had to realize that it doesn't make sense for the future."

City regrets the closure

Daniela Puzzovio, who is currently in charge of the town hall as deputy mayor, remembers the city council's fears that the location of the huge V hardware store could have an impact on shops in the immediate vicinity.

"In Schongau, we note with great regret that the Obi in Schongau-West is closing," she explains when asked by the Schongauer Nachrichten.

"The Obi hardware store was a very important business for Schongau, which will now be missing."

You can find more current news from the region around Schongau at Merkur.de/Schongau.