Now also in Linz

“Closing time” is brought forward

At Passage Linz, managed by Julia Kretz, the core opening hours were shortened at the beginning of the week.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Horst Einöder, Land OÖ/Schaffner)

The Donautreff shopping center in Ottensheim already pushed ahead at the beginning of the year, and now the opening hours have also been shortened at Passage Linz. Julia Kretz, the center manager of the center in the provincial capital, told us why the "closing time" has been brought forward and how customers will benefit from this.

How do you manage to keep costs under control and still offer customers a good deal? Gabriele Buchgeher from the Donautreff shopping center in Ottensheim took the plunge in autumn 2022 and reduced operations by five hours a week to cut down on light consumption.

Donautreff is a small local shopping center for the region. Customers can find everything they need for their daily requirements here. The length of stay is shorter than in other shopping centers.

Gabriele Buchgeher, geschäftsführende Gesellschafterin des Einkaufszentrums Donautreff in Ottensheim

This is a response to the rise in energy costs, which, after a certain learning curve, has led to the Donautreff now closing at 6.30 p.m. as standard since the beginning of the year. "A change at the general request of our store partners," says Buchgeher. With one exception: Eurospar is still open until 7.30 pm.

Passage Linz is now also shorter: instead of closing at 7 p.m. as before, most stores have been closing at 6.30 p.m. since Monday, 13 May, after the mandatory core opening hours were adjusted, as center manager Julia Kretz reveals.

Together, we want to offer the best possible shopping experience. Tenants are free to decide whether they want to be open after 6.30 pm.

Julia Kretz, Centerleiterin Passage Linz

Why did they make this change? The aim is to make it easier for retailers to plan their staffing, while at the same time providing better advice, reducing waiting times for customers and allowing electricity and heating to be used more efficiently.

Some still stay open longer
Customers need to keep an overview: Because Eurospar, Peek & Cloppenburg, Esprit, the Trafik and Gastro left their opening hours unchanged.