The multi-brand retailer Robert Ley, based in Euskirchen, is on an expansion drive. Robert Ley operates 15 full-price stores, only five of which are in city centres. The majority are B-class premises in industrial estates in the affluent suburbs of Cologne and Euskirchen. We have refurbished five of these stores since 2018. That amounts to around 16,000 square metres of KNOBLAUCH shopfitting for Robert Ley over the past few years.
Implementing expansion strategies in retail and at the POS is one of our core competencies. To achieve this, we offer innovative concepts, as well as excellent project management, bespoke shopfitting solutions from our in-house production facilities, and a Europe-wide network of tradespeople. When multi-brand chains such as Robert Ley expand, they need scalable concepts that work – regardless of the premises or buildings. Furthermore, SiS spaces for different brands must integrate seamlessly into the concept – whilst still creating a visible common thread in the retail design. In other words, a store concept that can be flexibly rolled out across different locations.
– Christian Schwenk, Managing Director Robert Ley
The retail design we have created for Robert Ley brings the distinctive brand identity of this Euskirchen-based retail company to life within the space. The design is minimalist, with a calm and clear material palette featuring light ash wood, black-lacquered oak and black-coated metal, ensuring the brands are showcased to their best advantage. Take, for example, Robert Ley’s flagship store in Mühlheim-Kärlich, which we doubled in size to 5,000 square metres in autumn 2024. The open, brightly designed space with high ceilings allows visitors to experience the sheer scale of the store. This is complemented by scattered material highlights such as marble elements or specially commissioned oversized sandstone tiles.
A central feature in every store: a bar serving as a meeting place for customers. A community hub that not only offers a fine espresso but also creates a sense of familiarity. By this point at the latest, customers know: we’re at Robert Ley!
And as service is a top priority at Robert Ley, every store features not only a spacious bar and lounge with free coffee, wine and prosecco, but also generous fitting room areas where there is plenty of space and customers feel at ease.
This is complemented by clear zoning – for example, through large-format Italian tiles, carpeted areas and, of course, feature walls that immediately catch the eye. These showcase not only the latest trends but also tasteful décor and accessories. A touch of a concept store within the branch? Et voilà!
– Judith Hämmerle, Project management KNOBLAUCH
It’s always exciting to adapt a retail concept to the specific architectural conditions of a site. The latest Ley project from KNOBLAUCH demonstrates exactly how this works: the store in Neuss. The task here was to refurbish around 3,000 square metres of space across two floors. “The highly irregular building, with its many angles, columns and low ceilings, presented a challenge for us, but one that we resolved successfully,” reports interior designer Lena Dünser, who co-developed Robert Ley’s design concept.
The solution: the window fronts, which had previously been bricked up, were opened up as much as possible, thereby creating a greater sense of space and openness. The aim was to ensure a clear line of sight right to the back of the room. Unlike in the other stores, the bar is not located in the centre here, but to the side, directly by the entrance. In addition, there are 14 SIS display areas in the store, all of which were coordinated by KNOBLAUCH.
A particularly exciting milestone in our expansion journey with Robert Ley: the 3,000-square-metre branch in the Monheimer Tor shopping centre, which opened in spring 2025. Here, too, the entire interior design is modelled on the flagship store in Mühlheim-Kärlich. This demonstrates that a shop design is effective when it can be implemented not only in shops on the outskirts of towns and small town boutiques, but also in shopping centres.
When a retail chain such as Robert Ley expands, this also means taking technical details into account. Secondary locations come with a major drawback: the risk of burglary is significantly higher. This was also the case in Langerwehe, where we were commissioned to transform the outlet store, with its 1980s charm, into a new shopping destination. The 1,200-square-metre ground-floor space was given a striking retail design and an anthracite-coloured façade that extends the design from the interior to the exterior. The windows were once covered with posters and obscured by tall shelves. Today, the shop can breathe again – yet remains burglar-proof. The burglary protection, specially devised for the shop, consists of delicately arranged round metal bars running along the window fronts. This allows a clear view into the shop – but prevents unauthorised entry.
The numerous awards received are proof that Robert Ley’s stores are well received. The store in Langerwehe, the flagship store in Mülheim-Kärlich and the store in Monheim have all been named ‘Store of the Day’ by TextilWirtschaft. A Robert Ley store is also featured in the Lädenbuch 2024/2025. A fantastic reputation that this bold retail company has earned!
To be continued.
