After more than a century in business, a German furniture store in Kelkheim, Main-Taunus, will close its doors in December 2025. The family-run company, founded in 1919 by Willi Stelzer, is shutting down after 106 years due to shifting consumer habits, rising maintenance costs, and a lack of succession.
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Owners of the Stelzer Furniture Store, Simone and Dirk Stelzer, announced the closure as part of a final clearance sale, describing it as a difficult but necessary step: "An era is coming to an end," they wrote in a farewell brochure distributed to over 5,500 customers.
The store, located at the intersection of Frankfurter Straße and Bahnstraße, has long been a local institution, known not only for quality home furnishings but also for its close-knit team. Many of its 14 employees have worked there for decades, reflecting the family-oriented culture fostered across generations. The company even gained nationwide recognition in 1956 for developing an innovative round bed design.
However, the large 2,000-square-meter showroom and aging property have become increasingly impractical to maintain. "The time, life, and consumer behaviour have changed," said Dirk Stelzer, noting that more customers now browse in-store only to buy online. The COVID-19 pandemic and rise of digital retail accelerated that shift, making the traditional furniture business model harder to sustain.
Despite sadness about the closure, the Stelzers remain pragmatic: "We only want to do what we enjoy," said Simone. The couple is exploring possible futures for the property, from redevelopment into housing to a potential multi-generational living project, while their 18-year-old daughter may one day revive the family legacy as "Stelzer 2.0."
For now, the final sale marks the end of a local landmark that has shaped Kelkheim's community spirit for over a century.
Source: www.fnp.de
