Wolfsburg is in mourning: Hammer specialist store in Heinenkamp closes forever!

Wolfsburg is in mourning: Hammer specialist store in Heinenkamp closes forever!

Wolfsburg has recorded another loss: the Hammer specialist store in the Heinenkamp industrial estate is permanently closing its doors. This is reported by the Wolfsburg News. The market on Brandgehaege Street was initially only temporarily closed after severe weather damage in June. The company website and Google listing led loyal customers to believe that the market was temporarily closed due to water damage. But the hope of reopening has now been dashed.

However, the official reason for the closure has nothing to do with the storm damage. The Hammer market joins a list of branches that are affected by the retail chain's insolvency. Loud NDR 66 of 180 Hammer specialist stores across Europe are to close, with the stores in Osnabrück, Delmenhorst and Wilhelmshaven also being affected in Lower Saxony. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, at least three of 13 branches are affected.

Bankruptcy and effects

The “Hammer” retail chain has filed for bankruptcy and employees in Neubrandenburg have already been laid off, while sales have already begun in the affected branches. In Lower Saxony, the closures are a sign of the difficult situation facing retailers, which is also noticeable in other regions of Germany. Union representatives from ver.di criticize the opaque communication of the Brüder Schlau group of companies and draw attention to a growing investment backlog.

Marcus Dejosez from ver.di-Nord explains that financial insecurity among employees is a major concern. The employees' wages were only covered by insolvency money until the end of August 2025. This issue is part of a broader trend of retail bankruptcies that has become increasingly evident in recent years. As reported, numerous major retailers have filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and 2024 - from fashion houses to large chains such as Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof and The Body Shop.

The challenges that retail is struggling with

For many of these companies, significantly increased operating costs, changed consumer behavior and the aftereffects of the pandemic are the main reasons for insolvency. Trade DHBW explains that in addition to the challenges posed by inflation and commercial uncertainties, the trend towards online shopping is also becoming a challenge for many stationary retailers.

The closure of the Hammer specialist store in Wolfsburg is a further blow for the city and the consumers living there, who now have to look for alternatives. The gap created by the loss of such a location could also have long-term effects on the shopping habits of people in the region.