Because fewer people stop at Holger Horns’ local train station in Offenbach, the innkeeper has to cope with a drop in sales.
© fastnacht
The local train station in Offenbach is going through difficult times. Its operator reports on the new challenges of being a host – and how he meets them.
Offenbach – The guests in the local train station in Offenbach sit around the brown wooden counter. Cigarettes are smoldering red, bowls of peanuts are on the table. The beer flows from the dark green tap into the glasses until a white crown forms. “It’s not Frankfurt euthanasia, it’s bit,” says Holger Horns and laughs. If business always went like this Thursday, he would hardly have to worry. But most recently, Horns recorded a slump in sales of 30 to 40 percent. He believes that the classic pub is in crisis – more than ever.
Pub in Offenbach relies on a mix of ages and mutual respect
Horns is wearing a blue embroidered jacket and a black hat. He’s sitting next to the bar, sipping his beer, a pack of cigarettes in front of him. He took over the cult pub on Bahnhofstrasse two years ago, in the midst of the pandemic. The name – Am Lokalbahnhof – lets the track connection between Offenbach and Sachsenhausen live on, which no longer exists. The many mirrors, the red upholstered stools, old train station signs: “I left most of it as it is,” says Horns.
Even as a guest, the innkeeper liked the atmosphere of the bar. “We have a good mix of ages, from 18 to 80, everything is there. Everything runs at a certain level, we treat each other with respect.” And yet: The attraction to people like in the past is currently missing at the local train station. “The bar generation of our parents no longer exists. And the youngsters don’t have their drinking frequency either,” adds Horns with a smile.
Some people used to be dragged along by their dad, sometimes for a morning pint on a Sunday. Why isn’t that the case anymore? “One major reason is the social media stuff,” thinks the 57-year-old. Lots of young people get to know each other over the internet, sitting on the sofa at home on Friday evenings instead of on the upholstered chair in the pub.
Ukraine war affects beer prices
World events recently intervened. The Russian war in Ukraine is affecting purchasing power, including in Germany. “Many thanks to the Putin Schnitzel. Then the idiot comes around the corner and drives up inflation.” Although not everyone is suddenly broke, they are more careful when it comes to their wallets. “Many think: Who knows, maybe I have to pay EVO something extra. And going to the pub to have a drink is a luxury – that’s the first thing that falls down in the back.”
When it comes to purchasing, the local station itself pays more for the keg of beer, and according to Horns, the costs for incoming goods have risen by up to 20 percent. “But you can’t pass that on to the guests.” For a large Pilsner, 0.4 liters, visitors pay 3.50 euros. “If I raise that to four euros, I’ll be alone. So I don’t do it, even though I should.”
Listeners notice Horns’ clear language, which manages without the Hessian softness: the man comes from the north. Three decades ago he moved from Hamburg to the Rhine-Main area. His commercial training, with a focus on overseas trade, suits him, he says. “Whoever doesn’t become a landlord? That’s a saying you can forget about today.”
“I have no sympathy for hosts who block social media”
Food guidelines, protection of minors, financial regulations: “A pub is now run like a company. You have to know a lot about a lot,” says Horns. And work accurately. “Basically, every beef sausage is to be booked.” More important than ever, in times like these, is marketing, he emphasizes.
“The fight for the guests is on. If you don’t have any ideas, you’re left alone.” The pub owner wants to start a flyer campaign and is considering offering karaoke. The local train station regularly organizes themed evenings, and there was punch at the start of May. A photo of it was emblazoned on the restaurant’s Instagram page. “I have no sympathy for hosts who block social media. You just can’t do without it anymore.” Horns has his own son, who regularly helps out in the pub, to share a post every few days.
Horns is not completely solo like many other innkeepers, he says at the end of the conversation. Alexander Frommen, owner of a glass construction company in Offenbach, has invested capital in the restaurant as a partner and will come in for repair work if necessary. And so, even if the pub is no longer what it used to be, Horns is looking forward to late summer with a little joy: the 25th birthday of the local train station is coming up. Horns plans to host a court festival. “We set up the grill outside – and the beer dispenser.” (By Julius Fastnacht)
Pub deaths in Germany
Pubs are dying – and fast. At least that’s the conclusion a statistic from the German Hotel and Restaurant Association suggests: in 2019, before the start of the pandemic, 28,808 pubs were registered in Germany. In 2021, the time of the last survey, there were only 19,201 left – a decline of almost exactly a third. For comparison, out of 70,619 restaurants in 2019, two years later 61,827 were still working – a decrease of 13 percent.
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