162 IN STORE
Beach Pearl. Pier 14/Zinnowitz Usedom is known for the finest Baltic Sea beaches and is considered to be Germany’s sunniest holiday destination. The Pier 14 concept store in Zinnowitz makes the island in the Baltic Sea even more attractive. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Pier 14
Stefan Richter (left) jointly manages the retail company, which now runs twelve stores, with Jana and Gert Griehl.
The appearance alone is worthy of a small drum roll. Pier 14 has placed a showcase for fashion presentations and a real old-timer at its entrance. In the store itself, visitors can browse through fashion items for men and women, cosmetics, and food. It is a truly successful all-round concept, which earned Pier 14 the Store of the Year 2015 award of HDE, the German trade association. Cake, Curry Sausage, and Fashion
Pier 14 strives to appeal to all human senses. Thus, customers are tempted by a cake counter as soon as they enter the store. A few steps lead to a separate fireside lounge, which is equipped with a number of tables that invite customers to sit down and eat. The store offers meals such as a pork curry sausage with herbs and a glass of Crémant, or a burger made of LandWert beef. Andreas Kühn, the chef at Pier 14, is also renowned for his whole-food cakes and tarts. Last but not least, let’s turn to the fashion segment. The major brands on offer are Drykorn, Parajumpers, Please, and Better Rich. The top end labels for 315 style in progress
women include Schumacher and High, while Stone Island and Boss Black are the top range brands for men. “Our customers often tell us that we offer special items, for instance collections like Sophie, La Fée Maraboutée, Oakwood, and Pen & Ink”, Stefan Richter says. He has been at the helm of the company behind Pier 14 since 2007. Richter’s Pier 14 Neue Strandstrasse 36, 17454 Zinnowitz/Germany www.pier14.de Opening: August 2013 Owners: Gert Griehl, Jana Griehl, Stefan Richter Employees: 10 Sales area: 360sqm Brands for women: 7 for all Mankind, Better Rich, Blaumax, Blonde No.8, Drykorn, FTC, High, La Fée Maraboutée, Oakwood, Parajumpers, Pen & Ink, Please, Schumacher, Set, Sophie, and others Brands for men: Baldessarini, Better Rich, Drykorn, Hugo Boss, Parajumpers, Stone Island, Strellson, Matchless, and others Accessories brands: B. Belt, Beck Söndergaard, Campomaggi, Konplott, Le Specs, L’Occitane, Philippe Model, Saami Crafts, Vic, Voluspa, VMP, Ugg, and others
business acumen and passion complement the talents of the Pier 14 founders, Jana and Gerd Griehl, perfectly. Lifestyle from Cape Town
For a long time, it looked as if Stefan Richter was heading for a professional cycling career. But then he spent two years in Cape Town, where he discovered his passion for the retail industry and helped establish a retail chain focusing on a young, athletic product range. In Cape Town he met Jana and Gert Griehl. The acquaintance quickly turned into friendship and resulted in an idea of forging a professional partnership. Today, the three fashion enthusiasts manage twelve stores in East Germany, including Jack Wolfskin, Liebeskind, and Marc O’Polo franchise stores, as well as the three Pier 14 multi-brand concepts. The latter are the backbone of the company with approximately 60 employees. The corporate structure is highly sophisticated. Jana Griehl is responsible for the concept store operations and is the head buyer for the women’s outerwear segment, while Stefan Richter handles the marketing side,
the purchasing department in general, and shop fitting. Finally, Gert Griehl takes care of human resources and controlling. Furthermore, Gert Griehl and Stefan Richter are jointly responsible for all major strategic issues concerning the business. The plans for the future can be described as ambitious. The company aims to expand its successful Pier 14 lifestyle concept by adding another six branches in the region. “Cape Town was a good lesson for me”, Stefan Richter explains. “Customer negotiations were often about the next cool party, attractive galleries, or excellent restaurants. We always had to refer people elsewhere. Here at Pier 14 we don’t need to do that anymore.”
