Shops along Kaiserstraße overflowing with goods, struggling to attract customers?
Hangin' out on Kaiserstraße again, baby It's high time for a jaunt through Karlsruhe's city center. And you know what? It's been jumpin' lately. With those darn construction sites soon wrapin' up, the empty storefronts are slowly fillin' up, bringin' life back to the city center.
Ain't no city properties on Central Kaiserstraße Currently, the city's got 13 vacant ground-floor shops (szat on August 5, 2024). But on our last stroll, we spied the vacant storefronts of 19 shops. That's some improvement, but the city ain't satisfied yet.
"Retail spaces keep gettin' replaced by gastronomy instead of a mix of future-oriented uses. The quality of those uses tends to fall short of our expectations," the city replied to our query.
But here's the twist - the city ain't got no properties on Central Kaiserstraße, so they can't do nothin' 'bout it. The decision lies with the owners.
Three new eateries on the grind Our tour starts from Europaplatz toward the market square. First off, we spot some new seats by the tracks. Then we dive into the local at Kaiserstraße 150, which was once a Maccas. The Korean joint "Namu House" has taken its place, dishin' out "Hotpot" and Korean grill dishes since June.
"We're mainly havin' spontaneous drop-ins. The rush is still quite casual. We decided not to advertise much yet, 'cause we wanna test our concept first, then gradually improve and expand it," the restaurant shared with our site.
This includes Premium Roast Beef, Dry Aged Entrecote, Iberico, and Duroc. Wagyu is on the horizon.
A little further down the road, at Kaiserstraße 187, Madame Croissant baked her way in July. They serve sweet and savory French pastries. Across the street, the Katik doner opened nearly simultan'ly. Katik became huge in Turkey in the 1990s, opened its first German branch in 2012, and landed in Karlsruhe in July 2024. They celebrated their "b'day" by sellin' the Katik-Kebab for one euro per piece. Similar action took place at the Katik House of Doner's grand opening.
Old ads still festoon the corner building at Waldstraße Opposite the old Hofapotheke, '80s banners from the Baden State Museum exhibition are still stuck on. The exhibition closed in February, so why ain't those ads gone yet?
The reason's simple. That building don't belong to the city, so they need the owner's permission to tack up and tear down ads. Just rippin' 'em off or coverin' 'em isn't an option.
"Last year, in cooperation with Karlsruhe Marketing and Event GmbH, a series of window decals were created for empty stands. Owners were offered a renewed decal (themes Schlosslichtspiele and Baden State Museum), but not all accepted yet," the city revealed.
The House of Bargains is likely to vanish, but what's movin' in and when remains uncertain.
The next big changes are obvious at the old bus stop "Herrenstraße". Where delicatessen Schlemmermeyer used to serve guests, there's still a construction site.
The logo for confectionery franchise chain Lecker lecker is stuck on the shop window, but don't be fooled - Schlemmermeyer was at Kaiserstraße 100. "Lecker lecker" is at Kaiserstraße 98. Both are shuttered. So what's happenin' now?
According to the latest rumors, Kaiserstraße 100 has been re-rented to an unspecified high-value use. Kaiserstraße 98 has been sold. The new owner's huntin' for a suitable use for the location, the city tells us.
But there are also some bright spots movin' toward the market square - where the former shoe house Danger used to be empty for a while, the mixed goods store SØSTRENE GRENE has moved in.
Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the former Café Böckeler's in progress. As soon as that's done, they plan to renew talks with the Böckeler family - maybe even discuss reopenin' the café again.
For more on Karlsruhe's urban development: Karlsruhe's future | our website
Insight: Karlsruhe's Kaiserstraße is livin' up with new restaurants and stores, but exact recent changes in the area's culinary and retail scene remain unspecified. For more detailed information about new openings on Kaiserstraße, it's wise to check local news outlets or official city sites. Online review platforms can also offer insights into the latest dining and shopping experiences in Karlsruhe[1][2]. Additionally, nearby areas like Rastatt's vibrant dining scenes offer unique culinary experiences[2].
A thriving food-and-drink scene The current phase of development in Kaiserstraße showcases a vibrant food-and-drink landscape, with three new eateries - Namu House, Madame Croissant, and Katik Doner - adding to the city's gastronomic diversity since June.
A blend of home-and-garden and shopping experiences Apart from the culinary offerings, the refurbishment of the former Café Böckeler is in progress, signaling a potential mix of home-and-garden and shopping experiences in the near future. Meanwhile, the mixed goods store SØSTRENE GRENE has moved into the market square, offering a new retail option for consumers.
