Real values Dille & Kamille: a retail success story

Dille & Kamille: a retail success story

As great as the benefits of digitalisation and globalisation may be, many city centres can no longer keep up with the rapid pace and competition. That’s why we need to find a new way. The city of Düsseldorf is an interesting example of how tradition and innovation can meet to give inner cities a new charm. 

The Dutch company Dille & Kamille has been producing high-quality household and lifestyle products from natural materials for almost 50 years. It has now opened its newest store in the old town of Düsseldorf. The mission of the company, founded by Freek Kamerling in 1974, was always to create a counter-design for the disposable society. With a focus on materials such as glass, ceramics and wood, Dille & Kamille offers a sustainable alternative – and a little bit of longevity in a fast-paced world. 

In cooperation with hausInvest, Dille & Kamille found a new home in a historic building in the middle of the old town. On an area of around 400 square metres, the store places great emphasis on a relaxed and relaxing shopping experience that focuses on sustainability, timeless design and a forward-looking way of doing business. 

With the opening of Dille & Kamille on 20 October 2022, the city’s efforts to make its city centre more attractive are also being driven forward. With the best conditions: the beautiful old building is located in the middle of the famous Flinger Straße, which was built in the 14th century and stretches over 250 metres through the old town of Düsseldorf. It is one of the most visited shopping streets in Germany and delights an average of 12,000 passers-by per hour with its historic charm. 

The efforts by the regional state capital paid off within a short time. A study by the Cologne Centre for Research in Retailing in 2022 shows that 43 percent of those passing through would recommend the Düsseldorf city centre to others. This places Düsseldorf in the top rankings of the 111 cities surveyed. 

The secret? The integration of internationally successful brands such as Dille & Kamille and HEMA, another traditional Dutch brand that established itself in Flinger Strasse in 2019. They combine the special old-town flair with tradition and a focus on sustainability and ensure a special city and shopping experience. 

A study by the Zukunftsinstitut (Future Institute) also addressed the question of just how inner cities would develop in the next few years up to 2040. Four key factors are seen as decisive for this development: 

1. Intelligent use of space: Increasingly intelligent and sustainable consumption will manifest itself in the use of brick-and-mortar and real-digital commerce formats. The optimised use of space will have an effect both on the supply of basic goods and services on very small spaces, on experience shopping at central hubs and on the fast delivery and collection of products. 
2. Logistics and service structures: Cooperative logistics hubs, smart delivery and pick-up options and production facilities on the outskirts of cities are becoming increasingly important and ensure optimised logistics structures in cities. 
3. Rural life in cities: Local and regional purchasing is moving to urban districts, while outings are made to large inner-city nature reserves. This means that shopping opportunities in inner cities better reflect regional conditions, while also offering high-quality recreational spaces. 
4. Live platforms: The use of physical locations is optimised by informing retailers and service providers about where people are situated and what their consumption preferences are through data-driven technologies. Green areas, logistics areas, cultural and experience centres are gaining in potential again. 

As a representative of a sustainable and forward-looking corporate philosophy, Dille & Kamille fits in perfectly here – and already today shows how city centres can be revitalised in times of digitalisation and globalisation. A successful step towards a hopeful future for our trade, our cities and the people who live in them. 

With the successful rental of the retail space in “Flinger Strasse 28”, hausInvest is helping to align the local living environment of Düsseldorf’s city centre more closely with the needs of residents thereby making it more future-proof. 

A lot can be achieved at central junctions such as Flinger Strasse in Düsseldorf – and with Dille & Kamille, hausInvest has found the perfect partner for this. It is more than just an example of how successful sustainability can be. Indeed, the special range offered by Dille & Kamille also ensures greater diversity in regional retail, which in turn ensures stronger local identification and cohesion. 

In addition, with strategically important projects such as this one, hausInvest ensures that its real estate portfolio is sklifully diversified and thus creates even more stable conditions for our investors. Looking to the future helps us to operate in the long term – paving the way for solid potential returns in the long term. 

With hausInvest, we work for a diverse, strong retail sector, for stable returns and for sustainable living environments that benefit everyone.