Brüder Schlau

Brüder Schlau GmbH & Co. KG was a German trading group focused on home textiles and floor coverings, headquartered in the East Westphalian town of Porta Westfalica. The group was founded in 1921 by the brothers Theodor and Wilhelm Schlau as a paint wholesaler in Minden. Over the following decades it expanded its product range and sales territory, and during the DIY-store boom of the 1970s it entered retail by establishing the Hammer specialist store chain, whose first outlets opened in 1976 in Bremerhaven and Lübbecke. The group operated through two main sales lines: Hammer in retail and Schlau in wholesale, serving the product areas of floor, wall, fabrics/curtains and living. In 2021, the group generated revenue of 627.6 million euros in wholesale and retail and employed more than 5,500 people. At the end of 2021 it operated more than 200 retail stores, 7 franchise stores and 60 wholesale outlets. In June 2025 the group filed for insolvency under self-administration; the proceedings were opened at the Bielefeld Local Court on 1 September 2025, and the restructuring involved closures and partial sales, with 50 of around 60 wholesale markets closed and the remainder sold, affecting about 850 employees.

Brüder Schlau was founded in 1921 by the brothers Theodor and Wilhelm Schlau as a wholesale business for paints in Minden. At the end of the 1950s the product range was enlarged and the sales territory extended beyond the region, and the first own truck was acquired. In 1959 Maria Beeth took over the management from her father Theodor Schlau, and in 1971 Eberhard Beeth took over from his mother Maria Beeth. During the DIY-store boom of the 1970s, Brüder Schlau entered retail and founded the Hammer specialist store chain; the first outlets opened in 1976 in Bremerhaven and Lübbecke. In 1986 the in-house agency for retail marketing was founded and the curtain product group was added to the Hammer range. In 1991 the Tema Markt in Magdeburg became the first Hammer specialist store in eastern Germany, with Hammer stores in Sömmerda and Ostrau and a newly built warehouse in Ostrau following at the same time. In 1993 the new building in Porta Westfalica opened and the first large in-house trade fair of Schlau wholesale was held. Schlau wholesale also expanded its network and opened its first craftsmen's market in Ostrau in 1995. Since the opening of the 100th Hammer specialist store in 1996, some Hammer stores have been operated under franchising. In July 2005 the Brüder Schlau group, through its wholesale line Schlau, took over the company König & Kritzmann. In 2006 the takeover of the company Schröder in Sulingen followed. In 2008 the company Müller & Dintelmann with five further locations was integrated into the Brüder Schlau group. In 2010 the company Teutoberg with locations in Detmold and Magdeburg was taken over. In 2014 the wholesale line of the Brüder Schlau group expanded with the acquisition of 37 locations of the company Akzo Nobel in northern and eastern Germany. In December 2015 the wholesale division of the Brüder Schlau group took over the Steffel group led by Frank Steffel, a nationally distributed flooring wholesaler with a revenue volume of 77 million euros. The 200th Hammer specialist store, the retail line of Brüder Schlau, was opened in 2017 with headquarters in Wittenberg. In 2019 the Schlau customer club was founded, and in 2021 the company celebrated its 100th anniversary. In the 2021 financial year the Brüder Schlau group generated revenue of 627.6 million euros in wholesale and retail and employed more than 5,500 people. In June 2025 the group filed for insolvency under self-administration; operations initially continued normally with all stores open, and the salaries of around 3,900 employees were secured through insolvency payments until the end of August 2025. On 1 September 2025 the insolvency proceedings were opened at the Bielefeld Local Court. The appointed general representative announced that the company would not be sold as a whole but that the initiated restructuring would continue with redundancies and partial sales; 50 of around 60 wholesale markets were to be closed and the remainder sold, affecting about 850 employees.

• 2025

  In June the group files for insolvency under self-administration; on 1 September the insolvency proceedings open at the Bielefeld Local Court, with 50 of around 60 wholesale markets to be closed and the rest sold.

• 2021

  Company celebrates its 100th anniversary; group generates 627.6 million euros in revenue and employs more than 5,500 people.

• 2019

  Schlau customer club founded.

• 2017

  200th Hammer specialist store opens, headquartered in Wittenberg.

• 2015

  Wholesale division takes over the Steffel group, a national flooring wholesaler with 77 million euros in revenue.

• 2014

  Wholesale line expands with acquisition of 37 Akzo Nobel locations in northern and eastern Germany.

• 2010

  Takeover of the company Teutoberg with locations in Detmold and Magdeburg.

• 2008

  Müller & Dintelmann with five further locations integrated into the group.

• 2006

  Takeover of the company Schröder in Sulingen.

• 2005

  Brüder Schlau group, via its wholesale line Schlau, takes over König & Kritzmann.

• 1996

  100th Hammer specialist store opens; some Hammer stores begin operating under franchising.

• 1995

  Schlau wholesale opens its first craftsmen's market in Ostrau.

• 1993

  New building in Porta Westfalica opens; first large in-house trade fair of Schlau wholesale held.

• 1991

  Tema Markt in Magdeburg becomes the first Hammer store in eastern Germany; Hammer stores open in Sömmerda and Ostrau and a new warehouse is built in Ostrau.

• 1986

  In-house retail marketing agency founded; curtain product group added to Hammer range.

• 1976

  First Hammer specialist stores open in Bremerhaven and Lübbecke.

• 1971

  Eberhard Beeth takes over management from his mother Maria Beeth.

• 1959

  Maria Beeth takes over management from her father Theodor Schlau.

• 1921

  Theodor and Wilhelm Schlau found a paint wholesale business in Minden.

A German trading group combining a large DIY/home-improvement retail chain (Hammer) with a wholesale line (Schlau) focused on floor coverings, paints and tools for craftsmen and retailers.

• Floor coverings

• Curtains

• Paints and tools

• Home textiles and wall coverings

1. 1Brüder Schlau – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Brüder Schlau – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Brüder Schlau websitebrueder-schlau.de