Nahkauf in Horas closes: customers are dismayed by the decision

Nahkauf in Horas closes: customers are dismayed by the decision

A difficult step for the community in Fulda-Horas: The Nahkauf at Niesiger Straße 69, run by Deniz Aydindag, has to close. In an emotional message on Facebook on August 31, 2025, Aydindag informed its customers that the last day of shopping will be Monday, September 15, 2025. The owner of Nahkauf only took over the store at the beginning of November 2023 and previously worked for the former operator Patrick Franz for five years. Aydindag warmly thanked customers for their loyalty and support over the past few months.

The reasons for the closure are complex. Planned modernizations did not receive the consistently positive response that one would have hoped for. The industry is also struggling with a persistent shortage of skilled workers, which further complicates the situation. On Facebook, many customers expressed their regret about the impending closure, making it clear how much the market was important to them.

Skilled labor shortage in retail

The shortage of skilled workers is an urgent problem in retail. Although the number of vacancies for skilled workers decreased by 3.4 percent in 2024 compared to the peak in 2022, the statistics show a worrying trend. According to a study by KOFA, there were around 100,263 vacancies on average in 2024, which resulted in a decline of 18 percent for specialists. The bottlenecks are particularly noticeable in sales professions because, as the German Trade Association (HDE) warns, demographic change could further aggravate the situation in the coming years. More than 122,000 retail jobs remained unfilled in 2024.

This shortage is also reflected in unfilled training positions. In the last ten years, the number of newly concluded training contracts has fallen by around a quarter, and in 2024 15,754 training positions remained unfilled. Occupations such as sales without product specialization, which stands out with 16.1 percent of unfilled training positions, are particularly affected. Despite these challenges, retail remains an important sector in the German economy with more than 3.1 million employees. One reason for hope could be the economic recovery, although demographic developments are pressing.

Future prospects

The calls for political measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers are becoming louder. Among other things, there is a demand for an improvement in the compatibility of family and work, for example through comprehensive daycare care until 8 p.m. on weekdays. Flexible working models could be particularly important for older employees and career changers.

The challenges therefore remain complex. In the transition period from Aydindag's Nahkauf to closure, not only the economic situation is affected, but also the reality of life for many people in Fulda-Horas. The closure of the market is a sign of the times - and makes us all think about what we can do to support our local businesses and make retail sustainable.