In the heart of Frankfurt, the Vienna-born entrepreneur, Friedrich Wilhelm Goebel, was hailed as a savior for the Karstadt branch. With his fashion retail chain, Aachener, Goebel claimed seven outposts of the insolvent Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof chain in the summer. Prior to this, the Frankfurt branch was under the control of René Benko and his holding company, Signa. Following Signa's filing for insolvency, many employees pinned their hopes on Goebel's plans to reopen the department store by October.
However, by early December, a substantial portion of the Zeil's prominent building remained vacant. Goebel's Aachener, on the other hand, was also facing financial trouble — teetering on the brink of insolvency. Worse still, the entrepreneur was nowhere to be found and had become a fugitive from the law.
Presently, the Karstadt store's windows advertise an upcoming autumn 2023 reopening, accompanied by the cheerful phrase "Frankfurt, we can't wait to see you!" In reality, the building only features an Asian supermarket in the basement and TEH Textilhandel GmbH, a sporting goods retailer, on the first floor. While TEH Textilhandel GmbH may hold the franchise for Aachener, the company behind the brand, Aachener eG, only came into existence in 2022.
The future of the Aachener store in Frankfurt remains unclear due to the ongoing insolvency application. Despite inquiries from Capital, neither Aachener's press office nor TEH responded to provide clarity regarding the employees or the location's fate. They also neglected to disclose the whereabouts of their former managing director, Goebel.
Goebel last contacted his employees via email on November 1, 2023, assuring them of his steadfast plans for the Zeil and targeting a November 23 reopening date. The Frankfurt district court, however, summoned Goebel to appear in court on December 14, 2023, accusing him of misrepresenting his income and making false statements pertaining to his assets.
Goebel's flirtation with the legal system is far from his initial brush with the law. In the past, he amassed multiple driving offenses, resulting in probation and even a prison sentence that he failed to serve. Additionally, his insistence on spelling his name two ways – Goebel or Göbel – only adds to the confusion surrounding this enigmatic figure.
Despite the anticipated absence of Goebel in court due to his status as a fugitive, his ex-Aachen boss successor, Oliver Nobel, now faces the daunting task of cleaning up his predecessor's mess. In late November 2023, Nobel assumed control of Aachener, merely weeks after the former managing director announced the fashion house's insolvency. In a letter to the employees, Nobel acknowledged the growing uncertainty over whether or not they could settle their outstanding liabilities on time.
Currently stationed in Frankfurt, Nobel boasts a wealth of experience in restructuring corporations. Having previously worked for the insolvent project developer Gerch and assisted in Real supermarkets' sales, the attorney assists Christoph Schulte-Kaubrügger, the temporary insolvency administrator. The duo now grapples with repurposing Aachener and delivering on its obligations to creditors, suppliers, landlords, and most crucially, its employees.
After Goebel's departure, it appears he left behind a turbulent legacy at the fashion house. His inflammatory move saw him poach employees and court business partners, potentially leaving over 2,000 employees and various stakeholders hanging in the balance. With Goebel's legal entanglements continuing to materialize in Hagen, the Frankfurt branch and all its employees are left in a state of limbo, unsure of what the future holds.
[1] enrichment data not utilized in the main article.
