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Toys in the DNA: Ruth Holzer, granddaughter of toy baron Franz Carl Weber, with Roger Bühler, the current CEO of the toy retailer.
You won’t find glamor at Franz Carl Weber (FCW) in Zurich-Altstetten. A surprise awaits visitors in the basement of the branch: a small toy museum in which model trains, dolls, teddies and other collector’s items from the company’s 141-year history can be admired. After difficult years with financial problems, the museum has found a new home here. The patron saint of the FCW collection is Ruth Holzer (85), the granddaughter of the toy baron. Together with FCW CEO Roger Bühler (57), she answers our questions.
Ms. Holzer, you are the granddaughter of the toy entrepreneur Franz Carl Weber. Your childhood memories of Christmas must be wonderful…
Ruth Holzer: To be honest, I can’t think of anything especially about Christmas. But as a child I spent almost every Saturday with my grandfather. He had an apartment above his toy shop on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. We always ate snacks there – and as soon as the shop closed at 5 a.m., my cousins and I were allowed to play with the toys in the closed shop. That was the biggest thing for us.
Toys from the 19th and 20th centuries can be admired here in the museum. Were some of them in your children’s room?
Holzer: No, my mother collected most of the pieces over decades of work. But not everyone in the family was thrilled. The men, in particular, were rather critical of collecting, as there was no money to be made from it. My childhood room wasn’t as spectacular as you might imagine. I already had a “Bäbi” and a pram. But today the children have more toys than I did back then. In addition, as a girl I shouldn’t have been allowed to play with many toys, for example with the model railway. It used to be just for boys.
Mr. Bühler, two things stand out about the toys from decades past: the attention to detail and the robustness. Not all the toys sold by Franz Carl Weber today can keep up.
Roger Buhler: The toy industry has changed a lot over time. Today many children have countless toys. Fifty or a hundred years ago, only the well-to-do could afford toys. A new doll, a toy car or even a model railway was not financially feasible for a working-class family. That would have cost her up to half a month’s wages.
Today, many children’s toys have had their day after just a few months – and then something new is bought at FCW. A sensible development?
Buehler: It has become so common in our society that we equate new things with appreciation. It’s definitely not just a good thing. However, as CEO of FCW, I am not necessarily the right contact person for this problem. In addition, there are still many toys today that give pleasure for several years.
For example?
Buehler: Board games have grown in popularity during Corona, especially those for adults. This trend is continuing, which of course makes us very happy.
Toys that are produced in Switzerland also experienced a boom during Corona. Did this development also survive the pandemic?
Buehler: Absolutely. There are more and more consumers who value local and environmentally friendly materials and production processes. This also shapes the toy industry. Wooden toys from Trauffer or games like Brändi Dog or Eli Tree, for example, are very popular.
A year ago, delivery problems were a big topic. How was it this year?
Buehler: The situation has returned to normal. Out of 1000 products in our catalogue, we were only unable to supply eight. It’s the best it’s been in years. However, the global supply chain problems also had a lasting impact: toys are increasingly being manufactured in Europe again, and no longer just in Asia. Schleich, for example, has set up new production facilities in Europe for its animal figures. The same applies to the wooden toy manufacturer Eichhorn, plush toys and comforters from Doudou et Compagnie. And the US group Hasbro has also reduced its dependence on the Far East.
That all sounds very positive. Does that also apply to FCW’s financial year?
Buehler: We can look back on a successful 2022. The Christmas business also made an important contribution to this. This has met our expectations, the sales are above the previous years.
How much do you sell online?
Buehler: We currently only make three percent of our sales online, before I joined FCW almost nothing. However, the online business will only ever be a supplement for FCW. Like our customers, we believe in the shopping experience, i.e. in the personal consultation and in our services.
If so, why did you give up your location on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse?
Holzer: That’s really a pity – also for the toy museum. We are happy and grateful that we have found a new place in Zurich Altstetten. But we already have significantly fewer visitors than before. In particular, the tourists from Asia are missing, who often stopped by at Bahnhofstrasse. They probably won’t come to Altstetten. We therefore hope that we can fill this gap with domestic guests.
Buehler: Of course it’s a pity that we couldn’t keep the location on the Bahnhofstrasse. But it was no longer economically viable because of the high rents. We would have burned a lot of money with the store – and FCW doesn’t want to afford that.
At its best, FCW had more than 50 locations in Switzerland. In the noughties there were only nine at times. Today there are at least 23 branches again. Will it ever be 50 again?
Buehler: No, I rule that out. The current number of stores is ideal. Only in St. Gallen we still lack a location. We’ll keep our eyes open.
Ms. Holzer, how often can you still be found in an FCW branch?
Holzer: Always in the run-up to Christmas. I have several grandchildren whose presents I always find in FCW.
And what do you have under the Christmas tree yourself?
Holzer: I do not need much. However, it is a tradition for us that we put an antique doll under the tree every year.
Buehler: I have a Volkswagen T2 under my Christmas tree – not a real one, but one from Lego to assemble.