Maximarkt in Linz

Retailer halts construction work for Christmas business

Work has been underway at Maximarkt's oldest store since the summer, here Managing Director Thomas Schrenk.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

"Many customers are delighted that things are finally getting underway - we didn't expect it to be like this," says Maximarkt Managing Director Thomas Schrenk. The retailer is building a new head office and store in Linz, investing a total of 35 million euros. However, work has now come to a standstill for several months.

The complete modernization of Austria's first Maximarkt, which opened in 1969 on Bäckermühlweg in Linz, has been underway for two and a half months: a moving walkway leading to the second floor of the building has since been turned around to create space; pillars have been installed; the main checkout has been relocated; the clothing and toys area has been divided up; the restaurant is closed.

The modernization of the head office and the store cost 35 million euros.(Bild: bt-architekten ZT-GmbH)

The retailer, which is part of the Spar Group, is investing 35 million euros in the work, which will not be completed until fall 2026. However, in order to give customers an undisturbed shopping experience during the Christmas period, construction work has been interrupted until March.

"It was important to us that there were as few changes as possible for customers during the entire construction phase - that's why we planned it this way," explains Maximarkt Managing Director Thomas Schrenk.

This means that the store will not move into a temporary location until the start of the first real construction phase in March 2025, after which the already empty and hollowed-out head office and part of the existing store will be demolished so that work on the new building can begin.

Bakery employees move to Haid
For some employees, their place of work will then temporarily change. The bakery employees on Bäckermühlweg will work at the site in Haid, and the products will be transported from there to the store on Bäckermühlweg. The head office has been at its temporary premises in Pasching since April.