Legacy Business Practices Likely to Become Obsolete in the Near Future
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Steinstraße 13 in Malchin's shopping street sees a fair share of business transformations. However, the closing of Fotohaus Möller on the last day of April brings an end to an exceptional era. This landmark business, the oldest in Steinstraße and the second oldest in the entire city, is shutting its doors.
Originating back in 1908 when Fritz Möller's grandfather took over Ernst Sachs' modern photography studio in Kalensche Straße, the building was the lone survivor of the great city fire at war's end in 1945. Post-DDR demolition orders led to the relocation of the photo shop to Steinstraße.
With the last key twist on Wednesday, Fritz Möller, who took over the reins from his father in 1983 at age 58, bid farewell to his cherished store. "At my age, it's time to call it quits," he admits. Just last week, the Chamber of Crafts recognized Möller's 40 years as a master photographer, a milestone worth celebrating and immortalizing in his shop.
Möller openly confesses that he'll miss serving customers the most, but the grind may not be a large loss. "I'll manage. I've got plenty of gardening to keep me busy in the spring. Winter would've been tougher."
His wife Marianne, a constant presence in the store, is looking forward to their newfound freedom for joint outings and bike tours. Fritz Möller had given up on finding a successor in his family line, as both his son and daughter pursued different paths. The recent restriction on photographers permitting passport photos without authorization further impacted the business's profitability.
Fritz Möller had embraced digital photography early on, eradicating the need for lab work involving chemicals and simplifying image editing tasks. Though digital orders multiplied, they became smaller in size. "People used to bring in 36-exposure films for development; now they request just three or five prints," he explains. Over the years, the subjects requests remained consistent. Family portraits, weddings, and carnival photos dominated their work.
The Möller family will likely leave the equipment in their former store, as photography remains a cherished hobby for Fritz. A new business taking over Steinstraße 13 is unlikely, sparing the house for Möller's tranquility. However, the shop windows will bear emptiness, marking the closure of Malchin's oldest business on Steinstraße.
- Despite the ongoing business transformations on Steinstraße 13, the closure of Fotohaus Möller signifies an end to a long-standing era in the financial sector, as it was the second oldest business in the entire city, having been in operation since 1908.
- In the future, the finance and business scene of Steinstraße 13 may change, but the absence of Fotohaus Möller, the former landmark business, will continue to be noticeable, particularly in the photography industry, where digital technology has altered the nature and size of orders once dominated by family portraits, weddings, and carnival photos.
