The troubled German shoe chain Görtz is back with the first new openings in Austria and plans for new retail concepts. After the Vienna-based CK Technologies GmbH stepped in as an investor in June of this year, the new Görtz chairman and managing director at CK Technology Solutions, Bolko Kissling, now wants to invest again in the future of the Hamburg trading company.
According to the textile industry, new retail areas are initially planned in Austria, where there was recently only one Görtz area at Kastner & Öhler in Graz. A total of eight new areas are to be created from November 25th in Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Linz and Baden, among others. According to media reports, the first step will only be pop-ups because they do not yet carry the entire range. These will not become permanent stores until next spring.
Three new retail concepts
The retail concepts should also be adapted. There will be more clothing in the branches in the future, but the core remains the shoe segment.
These three store concepts are planned: The first concept includes not only shoes but also clothing and is intended to offer womenswear under the name “Görtz Lifestyle” and menswear under “Görtz Boutique”. The “Görtz Lounge” is intended to create convenience stores in residential areas As “hybrid neighborhood shops” they can integrate not only fashion but also a wide variety of services such as post office, cleaning and banking. In addition, there will continue to be the well-known Görtz stores, which will become more attractive with small lifestyle areas.
Managing directors should be hired for all three concepts. It is said that the first personnel for the lounge concept will be published in December. Most of the new spaces in Austria are to be realized in the Lifestlye format, two under Görtz Lounge and two as normal Görtz stores. The new concepts are also scheduled to be implemented in Germany from spring 2024. There are currently around 50 stores in Germany; according to Kissling, around half of them have the potential to become lifestyle stores.