As part of the federal funding program "Sustainable inner cities and centers", the city's economic development agency is making it possible to try out innovative business ideas for a limited period of time. Mayor Frank Frühauf praised "the special commitment of his business development officers Sarah Wagner and Caroline Pehlke, who, together with the store operators and city manager Sarmira Brächer, played a key role in enabling the store to open so quickly".
Under the motto "Your ideas - Your business - Our support", four young women have now moved into the business premises. Nicole Faller from Niederwörresbach presents gifts and decorative items with her village workshop on around 130 square meters, Vanessa McRae from Idar offers unusual baby and children's clothing under the "Happy Giggles" brand and Sabrina Engers from Siesbach sells chic jewelry and accessories for pets under the name "Handmade Creations by Sabrina", some of which are also available as made-to-measure items. There is also Hanna Herzog, who presents her cuddly toys from the online store www.pinguinkuh.de, with which she and Sarah Schott already attracted attention in 2021. There will also be merchandising products such as mugs, key rings and bags featuring the city's sights. Herzog also offers African jewelry, which comes from the social and educational project for Rwanda "Journeyman meets Gazelle", in which journeyman painters and trainees work in Rwanda.
This was made possible by the fact that the city of Idar-Oberstein's economic development department is heavily subsidizing the rent with financial support from the federal funding programme "Sustainable inner cities and centers".
In addition to the pop-up store, the "City Mood" center management, which is overseen by Samira Brächer from Büro Dr. Fries, will also have its home there. As the local point of contact, she is aiming to network all stakeholders, which includes holding network meetings with retailers, restaurants and the local community. Regular consultation hours are also planned, which can be used to exchange ideas. There are also plans to establish events in the Oberstein and Idar centers.
- The opening hours of the pop-up store are: Tuesdays from 2 to 5.30 pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm and every second Saturday of the month from 11 am to 3 pm. City Mood IO's office hours are Tuesdays from 3 to 5.30 pm, Wednesdays from 11 am to 1.30 pm and Thursdays from 12 to 3 pm. Samira Brächer can also be contacted by email at Citymood-io@stadtberatung.info.