It all started with the fact that suddenly nobody shook hands anymore. At the beginning of March 2020, fear of infection spread with the corona virus. Not so much the fear for their own company. “But it came quickly. From one day to the next it was said that I am not allowed to open my shop or my property. Up until then that was unimaginable, ”says Paul Spielhoff.
A good three years earlier, in August 2016, he had taken over the Wim Gelhard furniture store in the city. “As a young entrepreneur, I suddenly felt an absolute void. Nobody knew how to go on. All I knew was that I had a ten-year loan that I had to keep paying off, ”says the 32-year-old.
Actually, he had calculated and financed everything solidly – on the basis of a business that had been going well for decades and mainly sold high-priced designer furniture. “In the first days of the lockdown, however, I was existential fear. When I think about the time, I still feel cold today, ”says Paul Spielhoff.
Emergency aid was nothing more than “a nice gesture”
The sedative pill from Father State, which appeared to be the promised emergency aid, turned out to be a placebo. “We were able to apply for 15,000 euros for ourselves. We got that too. But with fixed costs of around 45,000 euros per month for loan repayments, rent, ancillary costs and the increase in short-time allowances for my seven employees to 100 percent, the emergency aid was nothing more than a nice gesture, “says Paul Spielhoff.
What saved him in the spring lockdown from March to May was that his landlord met him and that he still had ongoing assignments. “With furniture, there is usually six to eight weeks between ordering and delivery. Accordingly, we had a buffer. ”
Fortunately, after the reopening, he then experienced a demand that he had not expected. “People were willing to buy and spent the money they would normally have spent on vacation or going out on a new couch and a nicer home.”
Corona infections despite all caution
Even without existential fear, Corona continued to determine everyday life. “I have two young children who were often supervised by their grandparents. Suddenly that was no longer possible for fear of infection. And the day care center was closed and the two of them often had to go into the business, ”says Paul Spielhoff.
The family organization was upset. “For us, as for many families with working parents, that was a huge challenge during the twelve Corona months. In the company, it is not possible to look after the children – and giving them to emergency care was also viewed with suspicion, “says Paul Spielhoff, describing a corona dilemma that cannot be resolved satisfactorily.
At the same time, the worst-case scenario, as he calls it, had to be prevented in business: the infection of employees. “That was a negative stamp for a long time. But in spite of all the hygiene measures with disinfection, gloves and disposable masks, “said the plant manager,” despite the distance zones and the total waiver of all employees on travel, we had two infections in the company in October. “
Corona, it showed, will not be over for a long time. And with the “Lockdown light” on November 1st, Paul Spielhoff stated: “By closing the catering trade, it became clear how closely retail and catering are interlinked. Nothing was going on anymore. We noticed that clearly. “
“I hope that the customers find their way back”
Sales immediately decreased in November. “But,” he says, “you could handle that. The hard lockdown on December 16 was a turning point: “Before Christmas you just do the extra business that you work for all year round. That was completely missing. ”
In addition, Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had promised in September that the retail trade would not be closed again. Paul Spielhoff is still sitting on the goods that he then ordered. “Fortunately, we still have orders because we can always be reached via Instagram, phone and email and customers can also configure furniture digitally.”
Nevertheless, Paul Spielhoff is pensive: “Now everyone has understood how online shopping works. I hope that customers will find their way back and that we will soon be able to offer adventure shopping again. “
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