Sondershausen launches campaign to combat retail vacancy

The city of Sondershausen has launched a creative campaign to combat commercial vacancy in its town center. To draw attention to empty storefronts, the city introduced ‘Lui Lücke’, an AI-generated blue monster character.

City manager Kathrin Kilian stated that the character will appear on posters in vacant windows to engage the public. The campaign uses slogans such as ‘I am moving out when you move in’ to encourage new tenants. The initiative aims to attract not only retail businesses but also gastronomy and tourism-related services.

Interested parties can access information about specific properties and potential uses via QR codes displayed on the posters. Currently, approximately ten commercial spaces are being targeted by the campaign, with an initial investment of roughly 4,000 euros.