150 people affected in Graz

Kika and Leiner: Foundation open to employees

After the insolvency, there was a huge rush of customers to the Kika in Graz.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Just three weeks to go before Kika and Leiner in Graz are closed. While the future use of the two stores is still unclear, solutions have long been sought for the future of the 150 or so employees. One thing is certain: they can use the Styrian insolvency foundation.

According to the AMS, around 170 people have taken part in this foundation, which enables affected employees to retrain, since 2021. Currently, 29 people are still in training. In 2023, the Kika/Leiner stores in Judenburg, Liezen, Leoben and Feldbach had already closed. 60 employees (41 women, 19 men) joined the foundation at that time, most of them from Feldbach and Judenburg. Only six of them are still with the foundation.

The employees of the Kika branch in Graz-Webling were informed about this possibility on Tuesday morning, and on Wednesday it will be the turn of the Leiner employees. According to AMS regional managing director Karlheinz Snobe, individual interviews are already taking place. Participants in the foundation receive a monthly stipend in addition to unemployment benefits during their training.

Many older employees lose their jobs
According to trade unionist Norbert Schunko, older employees who have worked at Kika and Leiner for a long time are particularly affected by the bankruptcy. The furniture stores will be closed at the end of January; in recent weeks there has been a huge rush of customers, many of whom wanted to secure bargains. At the beginning of February, the employees will officially leave the once flourishing company.

The retail sector as a whole is struggling. At the end of December, 5282 people were registered as unemployed in this sector in Styria (up 15 percent on the previous year), while at the same time there were 1728 vacancies (a drop of 15.7 percent). "Domestic retail companies are still looking for well-trained staff," says Snobe with optimism.

Furniture stores in the hands of Graz-based company
What will happen to the two large furniture stores in the Styrian capital? They belong to the Graz-based Supernova Group. The previous Kika location will continue to be used for furniture retail, "but nothing has been signed yet", Supernova spokesperson Michael Slamanig emphasizes to the "Krone" newspaper. The subsequent use of the Leiner building in Annenstraße is "completely open", Supernova boss Frank Albert spoke of a "multifunctional center" a few weeks ago.

The stores in Judenburg and Liezen, which will be closed in 2023, now belong to XXXLutz, which was once the largest competitor, but is not yet using the properties. The former location in Leoben serves as a warehouse for the online auction house Aurena, while local entrepreneur Erwin Teller operates a multifunctional center in Feldbach, including a Hervis outlet.