40 Years of ECE Shopping Centers
Four decades ago, the first ECE shopping center was opened; it was also one of the first shopping centers of Germany. Today, the company looks back on a history of success beyond example.
On October 23, 1969 – exactly 40 years ago – the Franken-Center in Nuremberg opened its doors as first ECE shopping center. Shortly before, in 1965, the mail-order pioneer Werner Otto (Otto Versand), who celebrated his 100th birthday in August of this year, founded the ECE in Hamburg. He thus laid the foundation stone for the success of shopping centers in Germany and also achieved to prevent the threatening development of large retail agglomerations outside the cities – just as it can be observed in numerous European countries.
The 114th ECE center, which has been opened yesterday (October 22) in Essen, Germany, pursues this goal. Located in the city-center, it replaces the former single locations of Sinn Leffers, Karstadt and Karstadt sports. Alexander Otto, Werner Otto’s youngest son and since 2000 CEO of the European shopping center market leader, is convinced: “The now fully completed Limbecker Platz will give new impetus to Essen and the overall metropolitan region – as new landmark in the heart of the European Capital of Culture.”
A broad selection of photos on this topic can be downloaded at:
http://www.ece.de/en/newspresse/multimedia/fotoservice/shoppingwelten/40jahre/
