New opening at the Puppenkönig How is the new Playmobil store coming along?
Bonn · The construction works at the Puppenkönig in Bonn are on the home stretch. The new Playmobil store should open in January at the latest. What is planned for the Advent season.
There have been many adversities, but now the construction site in the Puppenkönig is on the home stretch. As the main shareholder of Puppenkönig GmbH, Alexander Jentsch, said in response to a question, the new Playmobil world of experience on Gangolfstraße could open at the latest in January next year on an area of about 1000 square metres. He did not want to completely rule out an earlier date in December. "The refurbishment is progressing. The painting work is starting now," said Jentsch.
At the same time, several craftsmen, also from the region, are working on the scenery, which will be on display on two floors. A world of adventure is planned for the basement and the first floor, with themes including the police, fire brigade, outer space, princess and knight's castle. There will also be an action stage upstairs. On the second and third floors, the Franciscan Relief Society has moved in this year. According to Jentsch, the works commissioned for the adventure worlds are unique pieces that are produced in workshops and then brought to Bonn. Digital game consoles are also planned. On the ground floor, a bistro will be set up next to the cash desk.
More than a dozen jobs
According to Jentsch, the GmbH will create more than a dozen jobs. Originally, Playmobil and the Bonn-based retail broker, whose office is located in the city centre, wanted to open the doors last year. But the core renovation revealed damage that was not expected. Added to this were the effects of the pandemic, price increases in the trades and material shortages. Jentsch does not want to name the costs of the renovation.
Nor does he complain about the delays. "Our online shop is going great, I must say." Puppenkönig GmbH has been offering Playmobil products over the Internet for about a year. The name Puppenkönig, which Jentsch secured for himself, attracts many customers. He has rented a warehouse in nearby Alfter for distribution because he could not find a suitable location in Bonn.
Railway arrives during Advent
In any case, the electric toy train will be set up in the shop window of the corner house during Advent - a crowd puller for decades. Jentsch had announced his intention to continue the tradition immediately after buying the property. In the meantime, the landscape is made up of Playmobil components. Last year, burglars gained access to the construction site. They were only after parts of the railway.
In the run-up to Christmas, there are to be activities at the Puppenkönig. Details are in the planning stage, according to the main shareholder. The toy shop Puppenkönig, known far beyond the city limits and offering a mixed range of products, had been closed by its long-time operator Alfred Westenhöfer at the end of 2019 to great public sympathy. The reasons he gave were a lack of a successor and a drop in sales due to online trading. A successor solution was quickly found with Jentsch and Playmobil.
(Original text: Philipp Königs; Translation: Mareike Graepel)
