Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof to become simply 'Galeria'

Germany’s last big department store group, Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, is changing its name to just Galeria. The name change symbolises the new start the group wishes to make.

New name and logo

The German retailer wants to recover from the coronavirus pandemic with a new strategic repositioning, starting in the autumn with the “Galeria 2.0” concept. This includes a new name – simply Galeria – and a new logo, WirtschaftsWoche reports. A lowercase “g” – with “Galeria” in sleek capitals underneath – will adorn the storefronts.

“It is time that people see that we are one company, in the branding as well”, CEO Miguel Müllenbach explains. Currently, the stores are sometimes called Kaufhof and sometimes Karstadt, as the group came about when the two department store chains merged.

The new logo will be used officially for the first time on 27 October. “After that, we will gradually convert the department stores all over Germany and apply the new logo”, Müllenbach announces.

Three types of stores

The visual overhaul is to go hand in hand with conceptual changes. Over the next three to four years, the retailer plans to invest 600 million euros: two-thirds of this will be spent on modernising the 131 department stores; the remainder will be spent on expanding the e-commerce offer, digitisation and logistics.

“We want to become the ‘networking heart’ of the city centre – with concepts that are precisely tailored to the location”, Müllenbach recently announced. For this purpose, the retail giant wants to divide its stores into three categories in future: ‘World Store’, ‘Regional Magnet’ and ‘Local Forum’. The department stores in Frankfurt, Kassel and Kleve will serve as pilot branches.