No staff: Jindrak closes second branch

The branch of the traditional Linz confectioner on Hospital Street near Südbahnhofmarkt has been closed for more than a year. Now it’s hitting the next location: the branch on Landstrasse near Schillerpark has been deserted for around a week.

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“We simply don’t have enough staff,” says Leo Jindrak. The master confectioner currently employs around 140 people, including production, and the network spans nine branches – but only seven of them are still open.

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“It’s tough for an entrepreneur if you have enough customers but have to close branches because of a lack of staff,” says Jindrak. “I wouldn’t have dreamed of that three years ago.”

Everyone wants to work less

They are in constant contact with the AMS. “But it’s a more difficult place than perhaps in the country,” says the confectioner. And he observes: “Everyone wants to work less. Everyone only wants to work 20 or 25 hours, less on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.” Nevertheless, he hopes that he will be able to reopen at least one of the branches in the autumn.

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There is also a change in opening hours at the Linzer Passage. This has caused irritation among inner-city residents and people who work in the city center. “When are you supposed to buy groceries if you don’t have a nine-to-five job?” asked an employee at a nearby office.

Core opening hours changed

Center manager Julia Kretz is reassuring in this regard: the Spar branch is not affected and is open at its usual times. Only the core opening times, during which tenants are obliged to be open, have been shortened by half an hour in the evening. Peek & Cloppenburg, Spar, Esprit and the restaurants are still open longer.