Dortmund's traditional house Azad closes: a sad end of an era!

Dortmund's traditional house Azad closes: a sad end of an era!

Dortmund is faced with several closings in 2024, including the traditional “Azad” furniture store, which has announced the end of his business after 60 years. The furniture store, which is located on Hansaplatz and offers carpets, furniture and home accessories on 7,000 square meters, has built up a certain monopoly in its niche, but is fighting for its future due to economic challenges. The owners of the Azad family stated that the company's financial situation no longer permits. The main reasons for the closure include the Corona crisis, the Ukraine War and the dwindling image of the city of Dortmund, which leads to a decline in customer frequency.

Avoidance sale with discounts of up to 70 percent is currently offered in the shop. The closure is described by the owners as the "end of an era", a feeling that is also widespread among long -standing customers and in public. Information on the closure is already visible on the building, but a specific closing date is not yet known. The opening times of the furniture store are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

possible future of the premises

The closure of "Azad" leads to another vacancy in the city center of Dortmund, which is concerned with the city administration. An XXL market hall is discussed as a possible solution for the use of the former sales area. The Dortmund City management is already in exchange with the owner of the Azad building, and the city is open to the idea of ​​a market hall. An urban press officer emphasized the need for a long -term sustainable solution for the listed building.

Tobias Heitmann, Chairman of the Cityring, first suggested the idea of ​​a market hall. So far, however, there has been no implementation of such a concept in the city center because it did not fit. The city could carry out a feasibility study to support the project, whereby the Office for Urban Renewal has already raised funding for feasibility studies. However, the support of the owner is a prerequisite for the implementation of the market hall.

like The West reported, the closure of" Azad "is part of a larger wave of closures, which in several traditional shops Dortmund concerns, and shows the challenges with which retail in the city is confronted.

In addition, Ruhr24 reports that the city of Dortmund is serious as an alternative in Considering to increase the attractiveness of the city center and to counteract the vacancy.