Three weeks after the closure of 23 Kika/Leiner stores, there is a lot of guesswork about the future of the former furniture stores. In Upper Austria alone, five stores are empty: in Wels, Linz, Vöcklabruck, Ried im Innkreis and Steyr. The ending still stirs emotions – even from city bosses.
The barriers at the entrance to the car park are open; there is a waste container; In the entrance area there are yellow signs with the message “Thank you for your loyalty” and information about the next location that is open.
Three weeks after the Leiner branch in Linz closed for good, the furniture store has become orphaned. The Leiner houses in Wels, Steyr and Vöcklabruck and the Kika in Ried/Innkreis are also reminders of the mega-bankruptcy. 23 of the 40 stores were closed, more than 1900 employees lost their jobs.
„Different variants are being evaluated”
The trustee reported on Monday how successful the restructuring has been. What will not be discussed: The future of the currently vacant buildings.
The Leiner stores in Wels and Linz are owned by Klemens Hallmann’s real estate company. From there it cryptically reads, “Various variants are currently being evaluated for the two locations.”
The Supernova Group, which has owned the stores in Steyr, Vöcklabruck and Ried in Upper Austria since the end of May, is also evasive: it is the turn of the CBRE brokers, a sale or long-term lease is possible. A time frame is given: By the end of the year there should be clarity.
Prime location at the crossroads
Vöcklabruck’s mayor, Peter Schobesberger, nibbles at the end: “The Leiner’s have been there since I was a little kid. Too bad it’s empty now.” He expects great interest in the retail space: “It is located at the busiest intersection in the district.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
