Stadthof Hanau: This is how the new trading center inspires the city!

Stadthof Hanau: This is how the new trading center inspires the city!

After the great outcry over the closure of the Kaufhof branch in Hanau, which was announced two years ago, the city of Hanau has come up with a bold and innovative concept. The Stadthof opened in March 2025 and is intended to bring a breath of fresh air to the city center. Investments were made not only in a new usage concept, but also in the building itself: the city acquired the property for 25 million euros and plans to spend a further 40 million euros on renovations and conversions. The focus is on setting up flexible pop-up stores in order to meet the constant changes in retail hanauer.de reported.

Daniel Freimuth, Managing Director of Hanau Marketing GmbH, emphasizes the flexibility of the concept. The stores should change again and again in order to offer customers new incentives. The initial assessment after the opening is entirely positive: the Stadthof is already perceived as a social meeting place. Since the opening until Pentecost, 169,000 visitors have come to the halls, which is an average of 2,350 per opening day and up to 3,000 on Saturdays. A real sense of achievement for the operators! The atmosphere received a rating of 7.7 out of 10 points, while the attractiveness of the stores was rated 5.3 points.

A place to come together

The ground floor of the Stadthof extends over 2,000 square meters and is divided into smaller areas for pop-up stores, creative spaces and a café. The Agora, with a stage and tribune, is intended to serve as a central meeting point where performances and lectures can take place. This could be an important step to revitalize the city center, because the corona pandemic has put many city centers, like the platform, under pressure popupstores.de notes. Pop-up stores help reduce vacancies in cities and attract new retailers.

But the plans extend far beyond the first few months. From September, the “Body Worlds” exhibition will be on display on the first floor and is expected to attract up to 100,000 visitors. In the long term, the “House of Health” and medical services are planned for this floor. The Brothers Grimm Academy, the largest tenant, will also find a long-term location on the second floor, while the ground floor will be further enhanced with new events and expanded shop offerings.

A creative experiment

The central element of the Stadthof is openness to change. As Mayor Claus Kaminsky emphasizes, the city wants to actively use the property and not let it go to waste. The new design elements on the ground floor, such as colorful floors and wooden or brick walls, are also a sign that Hanau is considered a pioneer in the region. Cities like Offenbach are closely monitoring developments in order to implement similar concepts. The city leadership is also open to adjustments if the concept does not have the desired success, including the possibility of accommodating a school in the building, such as hessenschau.de reported.

With the Stadthof, Hanau is relying on a creative experiment that is not only intended to revitalize the city center, but also strengthen social cohesion. The coming months will show whether this concept falls on fertile ground and whether Hanau becomes a lively attraction for visitors from near and far.