The Gödecke family's REWE-Marktplatz store in Bottrop-Kirchhellen has been honoured by the German Retail Association (HDE) as "Store of the Year 2026" in the Food category. The jury recognised the "Dorf trifft Pott" (village meets pot) interior design concept. It successfully combines traditional elements of the Ruhr region with a modern, inviting shop design.
REWE saleswoman Kathrin Gödecke, her father Heinz-Josef Gödecke (centre) and store manager Bernd Scholze are delighted with the "Store of the Year 2026" award for their store in Bottrop-Kirchhellen. | Photo: ©HIK/Wolter
According to retail experts, the most innovative and attractive supermarket is located on Schulze-Delitzsch-Straße in Bottrop-Kirchhellen. As a result, the expert jury awarded the store the "Store of the Year 2026" award. Owner Kathrin Gödecke, her father Heinz-Josef Gödecke and store manager Bernd Scholze accepted the award at the Retail Property Congress in Berlin.
"We are incredibly proud of the award, it is a great honour for the work of our entire team. Our store is a piece of home and we wanted to create a place where our customers immediately feel at home. The fact that our 'Dorf trifft Pott' concept has now been honoured nationwide makes us very happy," said Kathrin Gödecke, delighted about winning the prestigious industry award.
„Our store is a piece of home and we wanted to create a place where our customers immediately feel at home.“ Kathrin Gödecke
Anyone entering this supermarket immediately realises that something is different here. It quickly becomes clear how much emphasis has been placed on creating a cosy and inviting atmosphere. Warm materials, rustic beams, customised decorations and lighting create an environment that feels like a mixture of traditional village shop and modern supermarket. A small barn in the market, striped awnings on the refrigerated counters that give them the charm of a weekly market stall, numerous allusions to Ruhrpott culture and a generous service counter reminiscent of the Gödecke family's butchery tradition make the market unmistakable. Another highlight: the "Jupps Bude" service counter, named after the great-grandfather Josef Gödecke, is a reminiscence of the long tradition of "Büdchen" culture in the Ruhr region.
At the same time, the store concept impresses with practical innovations that also score highly in terms of Sustainability, such as the energy-efficient Waterloop cooling system. Certified green electricity ensures the store's energy supply. In short: the concept, which makes local identity visible, combines tradition and innovation and was further developed with a great deal of passion during the remodelling of the store in 2025, impressed the jury of the German Retail Association.
The "Store of the Year" retail property award is presented annually by the German Retail Association (HDE) to newly opened or converted retail businesses in the categories of Food, Fashion, Home/Living, Out of Line and Concept Store. The jury assesses the candidates according to their degree of innovation, customer benefit, value creation potential, experience value, mission statement function and unique selling point. The space and design of the shop, the composition of the product range, the presentation of goods, the human factor with specialist training and digitalisation at the point of sale are all assessed.