While many shopping centers and retail locations in Berlin are struggling with vacancies# and searching for new usage concepts, there is encouraging news from the southwest of the capital. The historic Forum Steglitz at Schloßstraße 1, which opened as early as 1970 and is thus one of Berlin’s oldest shopping centers, reports that its retail space is now fully leased after more than five decades. Even the last available space has now found a new tenant: the well-known eyewear chain Mister Spex will open a new branch here in early 2027. The shopping center is thus continuing its transformation and demonstrating that even long-established shopping destinations in Berlin can have a successful future.
Mister Spex has signed a long-term lease and will move into the ground floor. The landlord has not yet announced specific opening dates or hours. The Forum Steglitz opened in 1970 and, according to the Tagesspiegel, is considered Berlin’s second-oldest shopping center. It is located directly next to the Walther-Schreiber-Platz U-Bahn station in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, making it part of one of the city’s most-visited shopping streets.
“Achieving full occupancy at a shopping center in these times is a rare occurrence,” says Marius Lorenz, Head of Leasing at Jagdfeld Real Estate. The property management company handles the operation and leasing of the center on behalf of the owner, Real I.S. Further details can be found in the press release from Jagdfeld Real Estate.
A butcher shop and laundry service are coming even sooner
Mister Spex isn’t the only new addition. A total of three retailers have signed long-term leases and are opening their stores in phases:
- Mago: The Berlin butcher shop is moving to the ground floor. Sales are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026.
- Washbear: The service provider is moving into a space in the basement.
- Mister Spex: The optical chain will open on the ground floor in early 2027.
For Steglitz, this means more options for everyday needs: meat from a Berlin specialty butcher, an in-house service provider, and—soon—eyeglasses and eye exams at its own branch.
According to the operator, the success of this strategy is also due to the concept. Since its renovation, the center has combined retail and services with fitness facilities and larger office spaces. With the “Super Fit” studio, the center also offers modern fitness options. People who work out or work there pass by the stores, which helps stabilize business.
Schloßstraße itself is undergoing a transformation: Many stores are closing, while others are filling the gaps. Forum Steglitz demonstrates that a shopping center from the 1970s in this location can achieve full occupancy when it combines retail, everyday services, and offices.
