Chemnitz, October 30, 2024 – Great joy at the Hotel c/o56 on Chemnitz’s Schlossberg: the hotel’s own 24/7 store “C/onsum 56” has secured first place in one of the most prestigious retail awards, the “Best Retail Award 2024”. In the “Store Concept” category, the hotel store is the first ever winner in its category from Eastern Germany in the history of the award. The decision in favor of the store was made by a 15-member jury of experts from the retail sector and trade media.
“We are always on the lookout for innovative solutions. This award is confirmation that it pays to boldly break new ground,” explains the hotel’s General Manager Falko Grober. With the award in the “Store Concept” category, the hotel can not only claim with a clear conscience to have the most innovative store concept in the whole of Germany. “We are also the first East German company ever to be honored with the first prize in this category,” says Falko Grober happily.
The 24/7 hotel store “C/onsum 56” was developed together with the shopfitting professionals from WANZL. The concept is based on self-service: customers can pick up goods and pay at a terminal via digital self-checkout or at reception without cash or apps. The hotel receptionists are also happy to help.
“With the hotel store, we wanted to do away with the minibars in the rooms and offer our guests real added value. We have obviously succeeded,” explains Falko Grober. Guests can now not only buy snacks and drinks in the hotel store, but also heat up their own food, take a hot drink with them or buy souvenirs for friends and family. “This ranges from travel guides and our hotel honey to Chemnitz merchandise and folk art from the Ore Mountains,” explains Falko Grober.
Since the hotel store was launched last year, it has already welcomed around 11,000 customers. “Our C/onsum56 is initially an offer for our guests, but the people of Chemnitz are also happy to use the 24/7 store near the city center,” says Jette Rüdiger, who is responsible for the project. She is also responsible for the cooperation with “Too Good To Go”, an app that can be used to save food. “This means that people on lower incomes also benefit from our hotel store,” says Jette Rüdiger.
The “Best Retail Award” goes equally to the hotel “c/o56 Chemnitz” and the planning company WANZL. In addition to the hotel, the winners in this category were Hans Segmüller Polstermöbelfabrik GmbH & Co. KG in Vaterstetten (Bavaria), EDEKA Paul in Freckenfeld (Rhineland-Palatinate) and the second-hand department store “Zweite Sahne” in Dossenheim (Baden-Württemberg). The prize was awarded this year at DMEXCO.