Closing shops in Homberg: Is there hope for the city center?

Closing shops in Homberg: Is there hope for the city center?

In Homberg (Efze) the mood among retailers is mixed. While some businesses struggle with premature closure, there are also those that persist despite adverse circumstances. Due to a growing vacancy rate, many locations are having difficulty attracting customers. “We are missing customers,” is the headline, describing the situation of numerous shops. What is particularly noticeable is the impending closure of the Möbel Boss branch on Ziegenhainer Straße, which will close its doors at the end of September. No official information is yet known about the exact reasons. That alone is a sad trend in the city that is continuing.

But it's not just Möbel Boss that is forced to give up. The Deichmann branch was not spared either and closed on September 20th due to supposedly low customer frequency. Enjoying coffee and cake at Cafe Cake Time will no longer be possible in the future, following a surprise closure last Sunday. The owner did not comment on the reasons.

A ray of hope in the shadow of closures

But not everything is lost. Martina Lodemann is happy about the success of her second-hand shop “farben+stil” on the market square. Her business is well established and she even has creative ideas for decorating the vacant storefronts around town. In addition, the Takko and Rossmann branches in the Efzecenter will remain. Takko has extended its lease and Rossmann has no plans to close, with this news providing a welcome light in the dreary situation.

In a further step to revitalize the city center, the city of Homberg is awarding space grants for three vacant retail spaces in order to give young entrepreneurs the opportunity to test new concepts. However, one of the scholarship holders, Philipp Reifenscheid, was unable to implement his projects as desired and has already vacated his shop for personal reasons. Despite these setbacks, the city continues to show initiative and is holding discussions with other interested parties for the vacant space. The optimization of processes is also being investigated in order to improve the situation.

The turn to a CHANGE city

A promising initiative is the “Small Town in Transition – from Small Town to CHANGE City” program, which gives Homberg the opportunity to receive funding from the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research. Homberg is one of four selected municipalities as part of the National Urban Development Policy funding program. The aim is to develop new ways together with the citizens and to open up the city center as a living space instead of letting it degenerate into a ghost town, as the current trend suggests. As part of this project, an exhibition opening will also take place on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the KOCHS.

The problems are complex, but hope remains: With commitment and creative approaches, it should be possible to revitalize Homberg's city center and offer people a place to stay and shop. The streets of Homberg are hoping for a turnaround that can lead them out of the crisis.

For further information and developments about the situation in Homberg, visit HNA and Wandelstadt.