Among the Galeria stores that the fashion retail chain Aachener is interested in taking over is the former Karstadt store on the Zeil in Frankfurt. This was confirmed by Managing Director Friedrich-Wilhelm Göbel to the F.A.Z. on Thursday. "I'm interested," said the entrepreneur, "the location is good." As Göbel makes clear, he agrees with the two owners of the property – Sahle Wohnen and Signa – on follow-up contracts. A contractual arrangement with Galeria does not yet exist.

Petra Kirchhoff

Editor at the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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Göbel, as he says, would like to make a takeover offer to all employees at the site. He was in Frankfurt on Wednesday for talks. Apparently, however, as can be heard from employee circles, there are disagreements with the management of Galeria. This should insist that Göbel also takes over the severance payments for employees who leave the company in the event of a takeover.

The trained banker Göbel knows his way around imbalances: He was managing director of the fashion chain Sinn before his ex-wife Isabella Göbel threw him out of the company in 2021. The couple had taken over the fashion chain after numerous takeovers and almost as many insolvencies from the Nuremberg fashion retailer Wöhrl. Last year, Göbel founded the multi-label chain Aachener, which sells fashion in the middle to upper price segment. Among the seven fashion houses that Göbel operates through his Dortmund-based TEH Textilhandel GmbH are three former Galeria locations.

Galeria personnel policy "a disaster"

The closure list of the Galeria Group is not yet final, says the entrepreneur, who has even more branches in Hesse in mind, such as locations in Darmstadt and Offenbach. Göbel could imagine taking over up to 25 houses in Germany. Provided that there is a takeover agreement for the branch on Frankfurt's Zeil, the entrepreneur would like to launch a new concept there as early as July 1 – a "completely normal department store" is planned. Galeria does not stand "for luxury and also not for discount".

In the houses that Göbel is planning, there will only be branded fashion and no own brands at entry-level prices. Toys, stationery, home textiles or household goods are to be resold. Göbel, on the other hand, would like to remove large electrical appliances and mattresses from its product range and significantly reduce the proportion of confectionery.

More staff, less space

In addition, the entrepreneur plans on the Zeil with less space. The floors above the Primark extension (about 4500 square meters) would be shut down according to his plans, the sports department would be housed elsewhere. He wants to hold on to food in the basement, including the Asian market. There will continue to be a restaurant. The department store will run under the name "Aachen Department Store".

In any case, he will use "significantly more staff," says Göbel. The personnel policy of the Galeria Group is "a disaster". The retail chain itself is not in the collective agreement – the corset is "too tight" for the fashion manager – but pays "marketable salaries", specifically between 14.50 and 16 euros per hour. "We want good employees who enjoy their work."

Göbel expects a term of several years in Frankfurt, before that the planning on the Zeil will not be finished. "There is not even an urban planning discussion." As reported, Albert Sahle, who owns part of the property, wants to build a hotel and apartments in addition to retail space and accuses the city of hesitantly advancing the development plan process.