Shopping flop: long lines, empty registers | Regional

Of: M. TABACZYNSKI and S. HÄSSLER

Dresden – Saturday was the day of disappointment for dealers in the Free State. Some had expected a rush of customers for the last day of shopping – when everything was still open – but many Saxons preferred to stay at home.

In ElbePark (more than 180 shops, around 85,000 square meters) – directly at the A-4 exit Dresden-Neustadt, where customers usually romp around – things didn’t go any better.

Shortly before the shops opened at 10 a.m., Saturday started promisingly. A 70 meter long queue formed in front of the electronics giant Media Markt. But when the doors were opened, there was already the rush – there was no big shopping frenzy!

ElbePark manager Gordon Knabe (45): “I had expected the shopping apocalypse, but instead there was rather sobering emptiness in the aisles and in the tills of our dealers.”

This is also borne out by the figures: “We had 57,000 visitors on normal Advent Saturdays in previous years, this time there were a maximum of 30,000 people,” said Knabe.

In Dresden city center – where Neumarkt and Altmarkt were barricaded for demos – it was partly deserted. Only riot police brought some life to the old town.

After all, numerous customers got lost in Prager Strasse. But if you looked into the shops, one thing was clear: most of the visitors just walked past.

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