Admont Grocery Store

For eight years, Daniel and Daniela Zimmermann have been mountain hut owners in the Gesäuse region. In 2015, their son Felix turns six and is about to start school. “Until that time, life in the hut was wonderful for the three of us, but with the forthcoming school enrollment, our requirements changed,” says Zimmermann. The family moves from the mountain into the valley, and Daniel and Daniela work for a while in different jobs – until chance strikes again: the long-serving merchant in Admont is retiring and is looking for a successor for his business. Daniela, who is employed by the merchant at that time, and Daniel can immediately envision taking over the business.

The ADEG market is the oldest and smallest department store in the village, with many customers having shopped here since childhood. The selection in the village is remarkable, as there are four other grocery stores competing for customers. Nevertheless, many residents of Admont remain loyal to the ADEG market and shop here regularly. Daniel Zimmermann believes this loyalty has a lot to do with the very personal care of the customers: “In our store, customers still receive personal attention, they talk to our employees, and they simply feel valued here.” The importance of the ADEG market for Admont was evident during the weeks of the Corona lockdown in spring: instead of shopping for themselves, many people had groceries delivered directly to their doorsteps. “My partner was sometimes out all day delivering orders to our customers,” says Zimmermann. “During that time, we strongly felt that people truly appreciate the neighborhood provider around the corner. You can still see that today.”