Empty stores just one click away

Stock image via link

Bleakness. The empty shop windows along the shopping avenue, dismantled mannequins and cobwebs. On top of that, the large "For rent" signs, arbitrarily lined up. With love, the new Time aka the Future. The debate is flaring up again and the triggers have long been known. In Germany, numerous commercial spaces and physical pharmacies have disappeared in recent years. The numbers can be looked up at any time, but I am speaking more from my own experience on the ground.

The city of the past: beautiful museums, monuments and small shops that invited you to browse. Many years ago, the small towns in the Palatinate region were still cultural hubs. The great boom, strong purchasing power, elegant clothes, fine jewelry and magnificently decorated shop windows. Just 30 years ago, these were still the impressions of Trier and Oberstein. Two striking examples, in my view, when speaking of the decline of urban life. Fine jewelers, Karstadt, Galeria Kaufhof and countless drugstores shaped the city. Back then, quality was not the same as quantity. Craftsmanship still mattered, woven or handmade products. The goods were of higher quality and more appealing. People had made an effort and yes, not everything was "Made in China", there was still some variety. The charm of the early 2000s can probably only be found today in exclusive boutiques like Chartier or large fashion houses. What used to be an excursion into style for everyone is now reserved for the wealthy ones. Many brands we once knew have vanished. I still remember Hallhuber, Esprit and s. Oliver. There was a shop for everyone in the entire city. If you liked jeans, you went to Esprit or Levi's, and if you were looking for something special, you went to Karstadt, they simply had everything.

Easter is just around the corner. Back then, it was a major retail event. Shop windows and galleries overflowed with abundance. Giant figures and vast departments filled with handmade souvenirs, golden Easter bunnies and seasonal promotions. Decoration was carefully thought out, every department store had its own theme and throughout the year there were always wonderful products. I particularly miss the real porcelain, authentic picnic baskets and the fresh scent of expensive travel accessories, custom made suitcases and jewelry boxes. It was a different world and the products were by far superior to what you see here today.

2026: Cities feel swept empty, streets flooded with dirt and grime, stores closed or replaced by Woolworth. Where there once stood a beautiful fashion house, a refined jeweler or a shoe store, there is now a Woolworth. Sad developments in sad times. Discount stores are overcrowded, people argue over the last one euro plant pot for their little greenhouse at home, and the lines at the registers seem endless. And what became of Karstadt? The once mighty retail giant is now nothing more than a forgotten name, its former branches turned into empty, sealed off large buildings, at best taken over by someone else or completely run down, as even the cities show no real interest in redevelopment. The economic crisis speaks volumes: unemployment at record highs, restrained consumer behavior and vandalism.

The worst part of this development is, in fact, digitalization, especially for the lazy. People no longer go into physical stores, instead they scroll online and order en masse. Delivery drivers can barely keep up and of course there are also taxes and shipping costs added on top. For what, I ask myself? When I think about how many products I have had to send back in recent years because of fake authenticity, I seriously wonder why everyone shops online now. I find it excessive. Of course there are advantages. If you have no time, you can buy quickly. If you are looking for something specific, you will find it online. If you live in the countryside or want to save on fuel, you can shop digitally. However, in my view, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. First, you cannot see or feel the products. You have to rely on titles and images, which are often fake or do not match what is promised. Second, fraud is much easier, especially on unofficial websites. Third, we completely unlearn social and cultural interaction. There is no real customer service and sitting alone in front of a screen can become quite lonely. Fourth, the extra effort: a botched order, disputes over refunds and cancellations cost enormous amounts of time and sometimes even money. Fifth, shipping and waiting time. When you buy something in a store, it is yours. When you order it, you wait one to two business days or sometimes even weeks. A major downside. Sixth, urban life becomes nothing. If all boutiques, family businesses and small shops disappear, what will remain? One day, will there be nothing but giant screens leading us to online shops, surrounded by empty buildings and gray, bleak, polluted cityscapes? That is exactly the future toward which society is moving, a rather bleak prospect that will eventually catch up with us.

In my opinion, the disadvantages of this trend outweigh the benefits. I also shop online, but only for things I cannot find in a store. When it comes to groceries, clothing, accessories and furniture, I am clearly someone who prefers browsing in person. Especially with furniture, this is important to me because I have already had quite negative experiences online. If I cannot see something, I will not buy it, especially if it is something I use every day and that is essential for my work.

What about you? Do you not miss the dusty old bookstores where you could stand in front of a shelf for hours? Sometimes you discovered books and tried them out simply because you took the time to search through the shelves. The high quality suitcases, handcrafted cases and hats, the wide selection you could touch and truly experience, has it all become nostalgic?

I am very grateful that there are still places where such shopping experiences are possible. The only question is, for how much longer?