Depot to close all Austrian stores, cutting about 140 jobs

Home decorations chain Depot will close all 24 of its stores in Austria by January 31, 2027, affecting about 140 employees, ORF reported. Its Austrian operator, Gries Deco Austria GmbH, said an independent continuation of the business was not possible.

The company will continue trading through the Christmas shopping season and plans extensive clearance sales. Customers should redeem existing vouchers by January 31, 2027. Depot has operated in Austria for 17 years.

Employees were informed of the closures at midday on Tuesday. The company said it understood the impact on those affected, but there will be no social plan. Chief executive Christian Gries told the APA news agency he was confident employees would find work elsewhere.

Depot has struggled for years with competition from online retailers, cautious consumer spending and discount chains selling decorations at much lower prices. The German chain first filed for insolvency in 2024, after which it cut its Austrian network from 49 stores to fewer than 30. More than 100 employees lost their jobs at the time.

A renewed insolvency filing by its German parent company in May this year was followed by the end of operations at GDC Deutschland in September. The collapse cost more than 1,000 people their jobs in Germany. In the summer, Gries told Germany’s Manager Magazin he hoped to save the brand and continue with a reduced version.