Major Renovation Completed

About 35 million euros for Linz’s iconic department store

About 200 employees work at the new Maximarkt—about 40 of them on the first floor in the back office of Maximarkt headquarters.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

For generations of Linz residents, the Maximarkt on Bäckermühlweg was far more than just an ordinary supermarket. After two years of renovation and an investment of 35 million euros, the historic store—which opened in 1969—now presents a completely new look. What has changed, what special features await customers, and why the time-honored name remains.

For anyone who grew up in southern Linz in the ’80s or ’90s, the Maximarkt was far more than just an ordinary supermarket. The department store on Bäckermühlweg, which opened in 1969, was a little shopping world all its own. A store that seemed to have everything and exuded its very own special charm for decades. For many residents of Linz, it remains a source of fond memories to this day.

Pure nostalgia: This is what the Maximarkt on Bäckermühlweg looked like about half a century ago.(Bild: Maximarkt)

A part of his childhood
One of them is Horst Werner. “It was always something very special to me—the Maximarkt practically accompanied me through my childhood,” the retiree tells the “Krone” with a laugh. He’s all the more delighted that the historic department store now shines in new splendor. After about two years of renovation and an investment of 35 million euros, the grand reopening will be celebrated on Friday. “With the modernization of the Maximarkt Linz, we’re combining the long tradition of our family-run store with a contemporary shopping experience,” says Managing Director Thomas Schrenk. 

Bakery and “Rauchkuchl”
And that’s to be taken quite literally: some 55,000 products now await customers across more than 4,200 square meters. At the heart of it all is the new, 200-square-meter bakery, where more than 140 specialty pastries and baked goods are produced daily. A special feature is the first “maxi.rauchkuchl,” where meat and fish are smoked right before customers’ eyes. The store also features a modernized restaurant, six self-checkout lanes, and 30,000 digital price tags.

Traditional Name Retained
Incidentally, it’s no coincidence that the building still bears the name Maximarkt rather than, say, Interspar. Although the retail chain has been part of the Spar Group since 2002, the traditional name has been retained. According to Johannes Holzleitner, managing director of INTERSPAR Austria, the store originally had to maintain its independence for five years due to competition law. But why wasn’t the name changed afterward?

“Maximarkt is deeply rooted in the region”
“Maximarkt has something very special,” explains Holzleitner in response to a question from the “Krone.” He points to the store’s strong regional roots and the close, family-like relationship between customers and employees. Furthermore, Maximarkt can even do some things better than Interspar, such as selling in bulk or hosting traditional cellar-filling promotions.