Görtz has been insolvent for over a year, but the headlines surrounding the Hamburg shoe chain don’t stop.
After the introduction of a new store concept and a clothing line in May, which were intended to set the course for the future under investor Bolko Kissling, there is now a threat of eviction notices. These could lead to the closure of six Hamburg branches.
According to the daily newspaper ‘Hamburger Abendblatt’, these are the specialist retailer’s central locations, including the branches on Spitalerstrasse and Europa Passage as well as the shops in the Elbe and Alster shopping centers, the Altonaer Mercado and the City Center Bergedorf. The reason for the threatened evictions are outstanding rent payments. As a result, since August, six landlords have filed eviction proceedings against Görtz Retail GmbH, a subsidiary of Ludwig Görtz GmbH, at the Hamburg Regional Court, as the press office confirmed on Wednesday.
Kissling did not confirm the allegations when asked by FashionUnited, but admits that Görtz is “negotiating the future, including rents,” with almost all landlords. According to him, this has so far led to the closure of the outlet in Wiesbaden, but also to the opening of eight new branches across Germany. An expansion of the new concepts, Görtz Lifestyle and Görtz Lounge, is also still planned.
A possible eviction of the flagship on Spitalerstrasse could be particularly painful for Görtz, as the lifestyle concept celebrated its premiere there in May. For the first time, the new retail concept includes not only shoes, but also clothing, which makes up up to 40 percent of the range. The shoe range was also revised and focused more on core and own brands. Of the around 230 shoe brands that were once part of Görtz’s range before the bankruptcy, only around half are currently left.
Note d. Editor: This article was updated on December 18th at 11:36 a.m.