Suche
Mein Konto
Furniture store Roller closes in Husum: a year after the reopening is over!
Gelsenkirchen: Roller furniture store closes its Husum branch after just one year. Economic challenges and clearance sales announced.
Furniture store Roller closes in Husum: a year after the reopening is over!
The latest developments in the furniture store sector shed a worrying light on the economic situation in Germany. The Roller furniture chain is planning to close its branch in Husum (Schleswig-Holstein) at the end of September 2025, even though the branch was only reopened in 2024. The Husum branch was one of a total of eleven stores that were launched under the new name Roller, after previously operating as Tejo's SB Lagerkauf. This closure is part of a worrying turnaround affecting many of the company's stores.
As [Merkur](https://www.merkur.de/wirtschaft/raeumungsverkauf-laeuft-knowne-moebel-kette-schliesst-filiale-die-erst-2024-neueroeffnung- Feierte-93825031.html) reports, a clearance sale is already in full swing, where interested parties can receive a 30% discount on exhibition goods and marked items while stocks last. However, the reasons for the closure of the Husum branch are still unclear, which leads to speculation about the general situation of the furniture market in Germany.
The furniture trade in crisis
The closure in Husum should not be viewed in isolation. Other locations such as Schwalmstadt (Hesse) and Neumünster have already become victims of the current market situation. According to Kettner, this phenomenon reflects a broader problem. Roller's management has not provided any detailed explanation for the closure, but the entire industry is feeling the effects of an economic regime that has been criticized as inadequate. The increase in the minimum wage was seen as insufficient in a situation where jobs are scarce.
Over the last 15 years, around 40% of furniture suppliers have had to throw in the towel, and on the one hand this has led to a decline in the number of visitors to furniture stores - these have fallen by 10 to 20 percent in the last two years, and in some cases even by 30 to 40%. According to a report by Welt, these figures reflect general consumer reluctance and reduced confidence in the economic framework. Fewer and fewer people are using furniture stores as a leisure activity, as restaurants in the markets are also being reduced.
Political dimensions
The closures in Husum and elsewhere are symptomatic of a profound economic crisis that is not only affecting chains like Scooter across Germany, but is also inhibiting growth across Europe. Furniture retailers feel neglected by politicians and are urgently demanding support to prevent inner cities from becoming desolate. Active action that relieves the burden on medium-sized businesses and creates prospects again is required in order to avert the impending “cause of death” for German retail.
Trainers and industry representatives are pessimistic. According to Markus Meyer, President of the trade association, the climate for furniture stores is more challenging than ever before. In this sense, the upcoming political decisions should also be closely monitored, because only with targeted measures could the furniture trade perhaps achieve a turnaround towards more stable conditions. However, a look at the lived reality shows that the road there is rocky.
Overall, the situation in the furniture trade is reminiscent of a question of fate for many family businesses and their employees in Germany. Lively city centers and attractive shopping areas seem to be on the brink.