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Berlin – German rapper Sido, a prominent figure in the Berlin music scene, has announced that he will be closing his convenience store, “Svenni’s Nachtshop,” located in the city’s Friedrichshain district near Ostkreuz. The artist confirmed the decision during an appearance on the podcast “Take me Späti,” hosted by Sara Arslan.
Rising Rents Force Closure
The primary driver behind the closure is the significant increase in commercial rental costs. Sido, whose real name is Paul Würdig, explained that the financial burden of operating the business has become unsustainable. According to the rapper, the monthly rent for the premises has surged from 4,000 euros to 6,000 euros since the store first opened in 2021.
“You simply cannot finance that with a ‘Späti’ (convenience store),” the 45-year-old Berlin native stated during the podcast interview.
Business Background
Sido launched the venture in 2021 in partnership with fellow rapper Bozza and entrepreneur Armin Bahari-Darakhshan. The inspiration for the shop came from a friend who was already operating a similar business at the time. Despite the initial enthusiasm, the project will now come to an end next month.
When asked about the possibility of reopening the convenience store at a different location, Sido was definitive in his response, stating that there are currently no plans to pursue such an endeavor.
Impact on Berlin’s Local Scene
The closure of “Svenni’s Nachtshop” highlights broader economic challenges faced by small businesses in Berlin, where rising commercial rents have become a recurring issue for many local operators. While the store was a personal project for the rapper, its departure marks another change in the local retail landscape near the busy Ostkreuz transit hub.
The news was first reported by the German news portal t-online.de and subsequently confirmed by dpa.
