Local supply | Berlin-Johannisthal: Citizens' initiative fights against shopping desert

"It's about the supply chain, and it's a catastrophe." Sonja Kemnitz stands in front of an empty supermarket in Johannisthal South, on Sterndamm. A good dozen members of the Johannisthal South Citizens' Initiative (BI) are there. Kemnitz is the spokesperson for the BI. She and her fellow campaigners are concerned that there are currently no shopping options in the Johannisthal South neighborhood.

The building looks as if it's been vacant for years, even though Rewe, the last supermarket operator, only moved out in June. Before reunification, the neighborhood was supplied with groceries by a retail organization, Jürgen Grimm reports in an interview with "nd." Grimm has lived here since 1976. Since then, there have been various operators. However, groceries have always been available around the corner.

What at first glance appears to be an easily solvable problem represents a major hurdle for many of the neighborhood's 5,000 or so residents. The nearest supermarket, an Aldi, is just a 15-minute walk away on Winckelmannstraße. "We can still manage, but older people can't," says Gerdis Hexamer, also from the BI. Kemnitz agrees: "Treptow-Köpenick has a high average age anyway, and we're practically the oldest neighborhood." Anyone without a car or who can't ride a bike is left stranded.

The supermarket's closure is just one part of a worsening supply crisis in the neighborhood. The medical center next to the supermarket is also half empty, says the BI spokesperson. And many former small businesses, such as a bakery and a shoe repair shop, are also gone. "Apart from the discount stores, there are no shopping options. People feel like everything is being cleared out."

To help elderly people and those with limited mobility, Die Linke Treptow-Köpenick organized shopping assistance . They accompanied neighbors, picked them up by car, and sometimes even did the shopping entirely, reports Die Linke member Leonie Blaschke. Around ten residents responded to the offer. "The problem is that those in need don't want to admit that they might need help," says Blaschke. The citizens' initiative is pleased about the offer, but also believes it cannot be the solution.

"Treptow-Köpenick has a high average age anyway, and we're almost the oldest neighborhood."

Sonja Kemnitz Citizens' Initiative Johannisthal South

It's not just older residents who are bothered by the situation. This is evident even as the initiative stands in front of the closed supermarket. A young family who happens to be passing by is approached by the citizens' initiative. They immediately declare the situation "a catastrophe." The citizens' initiative has also collected signatures. Three campaigns resulted in more than 500 signatures. The frustration runs deep: "Many people have told us: It's no use anyway," reports Kemnitz.

The initiative is doing a lot to improve the supply situation. It attends public consultations, writes to members of parliament, and asks various grocery store owners whether they would like to operate the store on Sterndamm. "We also invited Aldi to a meeting ," reports Sonja Kemnitz. The response consisted only of boilerplate text.

The lack of response to their questions is upsetting the activists. "We're constantly fobbed off and simply not taken seriously," says Gerdis Hexamer. Residents aren't being informed, according to BI spokesperson Kemnitz. "It can't be that you have to involve a member of the Bundestag to get information from the companies." At the initiative's request, Gregor Gysi, the Left Party's member of the Bundestag for the constituency, wrote to the discount supermarket Aldi. This made it somewhat clearer what is planned for Sterndamm: Aldi will move into the premises and start selling a little earlier, as early as October. In response to an inquiry from nd, the company stated that things are looking "so good" that they could start in the fourth quarter.

However, the move will initially only be temporary and an interim solution. Starting in 2026, the discounter plans to modernize its other location on Winckelmannstrasse. "For this purpose, the existing building will be demolished and a new store will be built on the same site," according to the company's press office. The company has not yet commented on whether Aldi intends to continue using the building after that. "What will happen after that is completely unclear. Will the store on Sterndamm be closed? Then we'll be faced with the same situation again," fears Sonja Kemnitz. The initiative also sees a responsibility on the part of politicians.

In response to an inquiry, the Treptow-Köpenick District Office stated that securing the local shopping offerings at Sterndamm 140 is also important from the district's perspective. The problem is well known: the closure will create a gap in local shopping within walking distance. The district intends to preserve the location and supports the creation of local shopping areas in new construction projects on Eisenhutweg and Segelfliegerdamm . "These can contribute to the supply in these areas and the surrounding area in the medium term." However, immediate and long-term options for the directly affected neighborhood are unfortunately not currently apparent.

The district's options for influence are unfortunately limited, the press office continues. "The district office cannot pursue an active settlement policy with regard to retail." Ultimately, private sector players decide where supermarkets are located. According to the district office, key considerations are economic viability, but also the availability of suitable land. "Against this backdrop, the district is utilizing the available options within its given scope of action and therefore remains explicitly committed to maintaining and strengthening local shopping options in Johannisthal-Süd."

But declarations of intent aren't enough for the activists of the citizens' initiative. "It's not our job to look for alternatives here," says Sonja Kemnitz. The fact that nothing is changing and politicians are unable to act is "grenade to the blue mill." To counteract this, the initiative continues to organize public pressure in the neighborhood.