The full-service business law firmORTHPARTNERS provided comprehensive legal advice to the long-established Düsseldorf-based company FRANZEN regarding the closure of its store on Königsallee. After more than 200 years of history and over a century of presence on Königsallee, FRANZEN ceased operations on February 28, 2026.

ORTHPARTNERS advised FRANZEN on all legal matters related to the orderly termination of business operations, including issues under labor law, corporate law, commercial law, and real estate law, as well as matters pertaining to liquidation and winding-up. As an integrated commercial law firm with offices in Düsseldorf, Essen, Stuttgart, and Berlin,ORTHPARTNERS regularly advises companies on complex transformation and restructuring processes.

The following individuals, among others, worked on the FRANZEN advisory engagement forORTHPARTNERS:

• Dr. Peter Kluth (Lead Counsel, Commercial and Corporate Law)

• Matthias Soutschek (Labor Law)

• Dr. Gudrun Germakowski (Labor Law)

• Jan Schiller (Labor Law)

• Andreas Broich (Commercial)

• Carolin Kölker (Real Estate Law)

• Kristian Dupper (Restructuring)

Thanks to close collaboration among the various practice groups,ORTHPARTNERS FRANZEN was able to assist with the development of labor law measures, the termination of long-term employment contracts, and the corporate law aspects of the closure. This engagement underscoresORTHPARTNERS’ commitment to providing comprehensive support to companies undergoing transformation, from strategic planning to the implementation of the legal structure.

“The closure of one of the last owner-operated luxury stores on Königsallee certainly marked a turning point for Düsseldorf’s retail sector,” says Dr. Peter Kluth, a partner atORTHPARTNERS, with conviction. “Our approach was to structure the necessary legal steps in such a way that they would be predictable, transparent, and fair for all parties involved, especially the employees.”

FRANZEN was founded in 1820 and, over the course of two centuries, grew to become one of Germany’s premier destinations for porcelain, glassware, silverware, and exclusive home accessories. Since 1911, the company has operated a store on Königsallee in Düsseldorf and has been synonymous—perhaps more than any other retailer—with tableware, gift items, and high-quality lifestyle products.

The family-run business, now in its fourth generation, has faced profound changes in brick-and-mortar retail, increasing competition from online retailers, and significant cost pressures at prime locations in recent years.

ORTHPARTNERS is a full-service commercial law firm founded in 2025. We advise companies and institutions operating both nationally and internationally in the service, industrial, and public sectors across all key areas of commercial law, ranging from day-to-day counsel to complex projects and litigation. With offices in Düsseldorf, Berlin, Essen, and Stuttgart, we combine legal excellence with a clear understanding of business models and develop solutions that are legally sound and commercially viable. Our close collaboration with our clients has shaped our philosophy: “Because successful solutions are always created together.”