Projekt 52 2008

Week 4: Contemporary witness

The old Ilmgau department store in Pfaffenhofen/Ilm – opened 1977, closed 2005 with 7-digit debts. To the left an old cinema, at last the beverage department of the store. Since recently, after several failed attempts to sale/auction it, it has new owners – cinema and a small stockroom (not on the photo) will be knocked down, the rest will house offices, and probably a shop on the ground floor.

I’ve only seen the last two years, and then it was mainly a supermarket with remains from general wares. Old furniture and installations, broken heating in the last winter, range of products growing sparser and sparser, probably the region’s highest share of food beyond its eat-by date – and ever fewer customers. Which turns into a vicious circle, of course…

…so, a contemporary witness of former store ages that couldn’t keep up with the times…