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Wolfsburg mourns: traditional watch shop Keizer closes after 80 years!
With the closure of Uhren Keizer and Joélle Moden, Wolfsburg is losing two traditional stores. Reasons include a decline in customers and health problems.
Wolfsburg mourns: traditional watch shop Keizer closes after 80 years!
In Wolfsburg, two traditionally rooted businesses are on the verge of closure. From spring 2026, Uhren Keizer GmbH, which has been part of the city for 80 years, will close its business. Founded in 1951, the family business opened its doors on Porschestrasse in 1958. This means that the Wolfsburg branch remains the last of the once thriving family, after the stores in Braunschweig, Hanover and Hildesheim have already been closed. The 59-year-old son Velten Keizer spoke about the great emotional burden associated with this closure, especially for his mother, Brunhilde Keizer (87 years old). The challenges are numerous, including a 50 percent decline in customer traffic, the effects of the VW crisis and the loss of attractiveness of Porschestrasse itself. The family has already announced that they will go new ways after working life, although they do not want to ignore the changes in the city.
But Keizer watches aren't the only ones that have to say goodbye. The fashion store Joélle Moden, which has been located on Porschestrasse since 2003, has also announced its impending end: the boutique will close forever on March 27th. The operators Sybilla Tschirner and Marita Knoke, who are almost 70 years old, are retiring for health reasons. Over the years, they had not only established themselves in the fashion world, but also made prominent contacts. For example, TV star Thomas Rath, known from “Germany’s Next Top Model”, was a well-known supporter of the boutique. Before the final closure, however, there is still a clearance sale, and with a heavy heart Gerhard Tschirner, Sybilla's husband, will say: "The heart is bleeding after 35 years."
Tradition meets change
Both businesses are exemplary of the changes that the city of Wolfsburg is experiencing. Porschestrasse, once a lively hotspot, is losing more and more of its appeal. The reasons are complex: A mixture of economic difficulties and the constant change in shopping habits, especially in the wake of the VW crisis, are forcing long-standing business owners to close their doors. Passers-by who were still able to enjoy the atmosphere of these traditional shops quickly realize that the variety on offer is increasingly being replaced by fewer and fewer shops.
In a further step it becomes clear that retail in Wolfsburg city center is fundamentally under pressure. More and more small, in-person businesses are going out of business as large online trading platforms gain traction. The two traditional shops, which had firmly established their place in the hearts of the citizens, are a clear sign of the change that the city is facing.