Holger Wellner, investor and owner of the fashion house of the same name, has bought the 2,500-square-metre Ritterpassage in Hamelin. Together with us, he is developing a unique shop-fitting concept designed to transform the vacant shopping centre into a trendy meeting place.
I’ve always been a bit mad – it’s as simple as that. Seriously though: we’ve been at this location with the Wellner fashion house since 2003, and about twelve years ago we rented the basement of the Ritterpassage to expand our lingerie department. So, on the one hand, I’d had a good relationship with the former owners for many, many years, and on the other hand, I’d naturally also seen that the arcade was falling into disrepair. And when you’ve got empty spaces to the left and right, that doesn’t exactly make the location of your own fashion house any more attractive, does it?
The Wellner fashion house has been in business for over 90 years – and the Ritterpassage now gives me the chance to reorient my business, make it fit for the future and also tap into new customer groups. Up until now, we’ve grown older alongside our customers. Their parents and grandparents used to shop here too. So we’re already seen as a reputable business with a long tradition and excellent service, but a market analysis has shown that we also have significant potential within the 30 to 50-year-old demographic. And it’s precisely this potential that we now want to capitalise on by offering a cool, innovative concept in the Ritterpassage. When do you ever get the chance to acquire and develop a property like this right next door? The benefits certainly outweigh the business risk!
The Ritterpassage project isn’t simply about expanding the Wellner fashion house a little. The fashion house will continue to exist. But it will be complemented by a concept store with a completely different product range, a different service offering and a different concept. Nor is it solely about fashion; we’ll also be offering products from the beauty, lifestyle, books and accessories sectors. Customers shop completely differently these days; retail now operates using digital tools and services. My ambition is for us to create the most innovative store in Germany here.
It will become a meeting place in Hamelin. A place where people come together and feel at home. For example, we’re planning a ‘marketplace’ area that won’t be a sales floor, but a space where workshops, amongst other things, will take place. You’ll also be able to sit down and work there. But there’ll also be events, concerts, functions and cultural activities. I could even imagine people celebrating their birthdays in our store. Why not?
I’ve known Knoblauch for a very long time through the shop-in-shop section with Opus, Marc O’Polo and so on, and we’ve worked well together in the past. So I’ve been keeping an eye on what you’ve been up to for quite some time. I always find your projects very, very creative. Of course, you’re not necessarily the cheapest option. But your projects stand out precisely because they’re truly creative and different. Every project is unique. And that’s exactly what I wanted for the Ritterpassage. Incidentally, what I particularly liked about your concept is that you consider how it all fits in with the location – with Hamelin. It’s planned entirely on a bespoke basis – and that’s exactly what I want. A unique concept store, not a copy of another fashion retailer.
Oh, there are plenty of highlights. For example, the striking, colourful staircase made of perforated sheet metal, which isn’t just functional but also looks almost like a small art installation. It connects all three floors. The lighting concept is also really something special, because we have a relatively large amount of natural light across a big area in the Ritterpassage. It’s really cool that you’ve even brought in a lighting designer who has some really good ideas for the lighting.
I’m really looking forward to the digital services. Imagine, for example, you see a cognac-coloured leather jacket by Cinque online somewhere. And then it would be brilliant if you could use our app to see straight away where it’s hanging in our shop. Ah, there it is, in the back left-hand corner! And then, on the screen, you might even find five different outfit ideas to go with the jacket. The aim is to connect the physical, analogue world with the digital one and to deliver some really cool services in the process.
And then there’s our second-hand concept. We want to give customers the chance to return their items. But we also want to sell second-hand brands and products. I’m really keen to see how this is received, because lots of people buy second-hand online. But I don’t actually know of any cool, smart formats that really mix new goods and second-hand items in a cool way and somehow bring them together. And I think it’s totally in keeping with the times, because it’s simply sustainable.
Absolutely! I’ve got loads of ideas for that. And of course I’d really like the catering to have a regional flavour and its own unique character. We won’t be able to fit a full-scale kitchen into the space, but a casual dining option would work well. We might even go for two different dining concepts – we’ll see. It’s not exactly easy to find something suitable, but we’ll definitely have a consistent look and feel, as you’re planning an overall concept.
Yes, actually, we do get a bit. For a few years now, we’ve had a programme in the town of Hamelin called ‘Hameln handelt’. The aim of the programme is to tackle vacant premises. So if you breathe new life into an empty shop in the city centre, the city of Hamelin will subsidise your rent for a year. We’re able to make use of this scheme for the Ritterpassage too, and it’s obviously a great opportunity for start-ups.
That’s difficult to estimate with a project like this, as it depends on so many factors. Originally, we were aiming for autumn or winter 2025. But we won’t be able to meet that deadline. So, in that respect, we’re now expecting to be able to open in the spring of 2026. An opening to coincide with spring – that would be brilliant!
Story teilen