Shopping – All our local tips

“For me Berliner backyards are like surprises. You never know what’s waiting for you behind the gate.”

On one hand the way apartment buildings were built during the so called “Gründerzeit” (time around 1870-1914) produced the typical apartment blocks in Berlin, now known as “Altbauten” (old buildings) or “Mietskasernen” (tenements). On the other hand it gave Berlin those backyards everywhere.

In a particular area called “Scheunenviertel” (Barn Quarter) you can find a couple of very interesting “Hinterhöfe” where life seems to be hidden. Enjoy theatres, cinemas, galleries, museums, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and other surprises there!

Except for “Hackesche Höfe“, now a tourist magnet and the most prominent complex of backyards, tourists and even Berliners don’t visit them. That is very unfortunate. And you will understand that if you go out to discover the following backyards:
– Backyard of Haus Schwarzenberg (see the Haus Schwarzenberg article)
- Heckmannhöfe (see the Heckmanhoefe article)
- Hackesche Höfe: a complex of 8 backyards
Rosenthaler Straße 40/41 & Sophienstraße 6
- Kunsthof, contains very nice hospitality and quality galleries
Oranienburger Strasse 27
- Sophie-Gips-Höfe, contains the Hoffmann Collection (see the Hoffmann collection article) Sophienstraße 21
- Rosenhöfe, Rosenthaler Strasse 36
- Panasia/Gallerie Cicero, Rosenthaler Strasse 38

Also, I’d like to encourage you to keep your eyes open for many other backyards in this area and not to be shy to enter them. With a bit of luck you can find real jewels of cultural & night life in them!

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Berliner backyards | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Theaters, Restaurants
Different locations | Mitte
Various opening times

For all those girls (and some guys) who are suckers for frilly skirts and ruched dresses, then a visit to Besserdresser would be in order.

Here you can puruse this bijou boutiques rails for made to measure dresses, tops and gowns in an array of stripes, polka dots, bows and floral prints. The boutique exudes the air of a candy shop and though the dresses do have a vintage inspired flair, they are by no means retro in a caricature sense. Just the right balance of old and modern meshed into one.

If you have time I would recommend getting the Andrea Faupel (owner and designer of BD) to create something unique for you. You can’t miss her, she is never without her trusty tape measure slung around her neck.

Otherwise if you are only in town for a short while, amongst Andrea’s own Pret a Porter designs are a host of other young designers as well as a selection of shoes on offer from cult brand Fly London.

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Besserdresser | Shopping | Average Dress € 130.00
Lychener Strasse 10 | Prenzlauer Berg | +4930621815
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 18:30

I am a devoted lover of shoes! I worship at the altar of the high heel with back breaking, blister ensuing fervour and martyrdom, in search of the perfect pump.  There is nothing that excites me more than a beautifully sleek, playful peep toe that raises my 164cm frame to a nice 174cm long legged line.

Unfortunately my humble purse strings do not stretch to purchase a pair of my dream Louboutin Mary-Janes, so i have to get a more reasonably priced (though no less stylish) shoe fix at Black Roses Berlin, on the popular Alte Schönhauser Strasse.

Whether your are looking for vintage inspired footwear, stripper style heels or chic day to day apparel, Black Roses have a wide range of peep toes, pumps, sandals, boots and pom pom mules to satisfy most tastes and fancies.

The shop is a mix of Gothic chic and 50’s style pin up girl boudoir, with art work from local Berlin photographers and painters displayed on the black walls (available to purchase).  Let the enthusiastic and equally shoe obsessed staff guide you through your purchase with their top notch recommendations.

If you are daring enough or looking for the ultimate high heel challenge, then check out their pink stripper glow in the dark 15cm high potentially ankle breaking wedges. Even a heel aficionado would advise caution.

PLease note that Black Roses will be closing at the end of March 2010.

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Black Roses Berlin | Shopping | Pair of pumps from € 80.00
Alte Schönhauserstr.39 | Mitte | +4930123456
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 20:00

Berlin is famous for many things. One of them is being green. You can find a little park, lawns and other little green areas on nearly every corner of this city. One example is the Boxhagener Platz, by locals called “Boxi(-Platz)”, situated right in the famous Kiez (= a hip little area) around Simon-Dach-Strasse (see the Simon-Dach-Strasse article).

What makes this square/little park so special is not only the friendly atmosphere created by little children playing on Boxi’s playground, but rather the Saturdays and especially the Sundays.

On Saturdays is when the surrounding footpath turns into a market for fresh and organic food, local specialties and Berliner snacks.

But what makes it burst with people is the flea market on Sundays. It’s certainly not as big as the flea market in Mauerpark (see this article) but definitely

more charming and individual. Local artists have their stands there and funny street musicians know how to amuse people and make them stop by.

I love to start my free Sunday by having brunch with friends in the Simon-Dach-Straße and then wandering about at the flea market on Boxi-Platz.

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Boxhagener Platz | Art & culture, Shopping, Snacks | Free
Gabriel-Max-Straße 10 | Friedrichshain
Food market Sat 08:00 – 13:30 | Flea Market Sun 10:00 – 18:00

If you are anything like me and appreciate spending hours casually browsing in a good bookstore at your leisure, then you must visit the Bücherbogen on Savignyplatz

Whenever I ‘m in the west side of town the Bücherbogen is one of those places that I especially make time for and detour to visit .  It’s a specialist bookstore catering mainly to the Arts, Architecture, Design, Film and Theatre.

What makes this place so special is not only the plethora of books/magazines on offer or the unbridled knowledge and friendliness of the staff, but its’ location. Housed in four separate red brick arches situated under the Berlin S-Bahn train line; all of which are linked by smaller internal arches you can walk through leading you to the next specialist category. Each arch represents a different specialist field, e.g.

Arch 1: Film, Theatre, Dance and Fashion
Arch 2: Fine Art and Photography
Arch 3: Special offers and sales, (all subject areas)
Arch 4: Architecture, Design, City planning and Landscape Architecture

I always find it comforting to read a book with the regular gentle rumbling of the train passing overhead as my background soundtrack.

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Bücherbogen | Art & culture, Shopping
Stadtbahnbogen 593 | Charlottenburg | +493031869511
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00

Once in Buchkantine, a café just a street away from the river, you will wonder yourself: how come not all cafes have books, or how come not all bookstores serve coffee? The books are new, and in case something is missing, one can order new titles from one day to the next. The bulk is in German but there are also a few English titles.

There is Wireless internet available for free, on request, and the music covers jazz and relaxed tones. They also show detective films every Sunday between 20:00 and 22:00. The people from Buchkantine are friendly and have a great sense of humor, too, some of their passwords for the Wireless used to be: I want to stay alone with my sandwich or the horse eats cucumbers.

The mixture of books, music and drinks is a good choice for a relaxed afternoon or simply for a search for new books or new inspiration. While writing this text, I am sitting at one of their tables and I observe with curiosity my neighbour – a middle aged man, alone with his laptop, longer hair, looking at the people sitting around as if they would suddenly become characters in his novel. One thing is sure, now he certainly has become a character on Spotted by Locals.

Tip: A books’ connoisseur is in the café from Monday to Friday, between 09:30 and 18:30, and on Saturday between 09:30 and 17:00 o’clock.

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Buchkantine | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping, Snacks | Tee € 2.20
Essenerstr 11 | Tiergarten | +493094883728
09:30 – 20:00 daily

This café & créperie has a pleasant underlying 19th century romantic atmosphere.  On entering you are greeted by a beautiful art nouveau mural of a young girl covered in garlands of flowers in her windswept hair by Mucha. Further back is a cosy corner decorated with a chic chandelier, warm red velvet seating and drapes.  You can imagine a modern day Rainer Maria Rilke penning his poems whilst enjoying a fragrant coffee.

Not only does this café offer delicious homemade cakes, tarts, and fresh breakfasts; but there is also an adjoining Florist that sells a beautiful array of flowers and plants. Fresh flowers are also used in some of the café’s specialities, like the fragrant fresh rose tea, which is a must!

If you head there with a friend for breakfast, I recommend one of their breakfasts for two menu trays, where various breakfast standards and fresh fruit are presented attractively on quaint tiered silver trays.

In summer take advantage of their large outdoor terrace to enjoy the sunshine. If you enjoy a good read, then you can borrow a book from their mini library, with books donated by customers and staff. The books are sweetly housed in the hollow of a tree trunk nest to Anna Blume’s terrace area for your reading pleasure.

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Cafe Anna Blume | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (European)
Kollwitzstr. 83 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044048749
08:00 – 02:00 daily

A book shop of its own kind. Small. Independent. International. SPECIAL.

Enter this cozy shop and feel comfy straight away. Old couches and old book shelfs makes you wanna spend hours in there. The friendly and English speaking shop assistant is always happy to help you; friends and neighbors from the area come by for a little chat. For me it has the sort of atmosphere that you usually find in little shops in villages traditionally run by families; but here you are in a big city!

Should you get stuck with their wide range of German, English, French, Spanish or Italian language books one day, it might happen that you wonder why so many people suddenly gather in the “East of Eden”. You’ll soon find out they come to see a band or musician who is actually going to play in there (on a little platform)!

These little events usually happen on Tuesdays. But to make sure, check their website!

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East of Eden | Music, Shopping
Schreinerstrasse 10 | Friedrichshain | +49304239362
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 19:00

For DVDs I highly recommend the video rental store “Filmkunst” (”Movie Art”).
Here you quickly understand that you haven’t arrived in one of these super commercial mainstream stores of which there are numerous ones in Berlin. The decoration of the walls – retro wallpapers – is only a first proof for that.

Films are logically sorted by country and then by directors – the best way to get to know (so far) unknown film maker legends. Of course, you can find underground stuff as well.

If you haven’t got an idea of what to watch: They’ve got charts. Wanna find all time favorites? The best horror, action, thriller or romantic movie? No problem.

You might think about bringing some time with you because the “Filmkunst” simultaneously is a little coffee shop. Enjoy your cappuccino and study the list of best movies!

When you go there for the first time bring your passport for a quick registration. All members have access to their online data base.

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Filmkunst | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping | Movie/Day € 1.60
Revaler Strasse 8 | Friedrichshain | +493041997165
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 00:00, Sun 13:00 – 00:00

There is something quite remarkable about the power that a simple fragrance can provoke. Marylin Monroe once said that the only thing she wore in bed was Chanel N°5 and Marcel Proust devoted pages upon pages in ‘Swann’s Way’ to the magical experience of odor-evoked memory.

If like me, you are inspired by perfume and fancy yourself a bit of an olfactory connoisseur, then take the time to visit Frau Toni’s Parfumerie. This newly opened boutique in Mitte (run by Frau Toni’s great grand daughter herself) has over 35 locally produced pure perfumes and absolutes on offer.  In contrast to the mass produced fragrances churned out by the big ‘luxury’ brands, at Frau Toni’s you can select scents that are suited to you as an individual.

With the expert guidance of their staff, you have the chance to to compose arrangements with such wonderful high grade ingredients from Moroccan rose to tulip to red poppy seed. All scents are then presented in refillable flacons. This is certainly not solely a female affair, as there is also a range of Colognes and aftershaves on offer for the male of the species.

If you are in Berlin for a little while longer, then you can also take advantagee of  special tasting evenings, where you and a small group of friends can book an evening of testing and composing fragrances  after shop hours, accompanied by champagne and pralines.

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Frau Tonis Parfums | Shopping | 50ml (non spray) € 45
Alte Schönhauser Str. 50 | Mitte | +493020215310
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 20:00, Sat 11:00 – 19:00

Once in a second hand one never knows what he /she is going to get. It’s a matter of patience, luck and good eyes. Garage is a very un-pretentious, spacious basement and is divided among clothes with individual prices (two corners for women and men) and clothes sold by kilogram (the majority). While some second hand shops in Berlin started to charge prices similar to shops selling new clothes, Garage managed to hold on to its second hand prices in the kilogram section.

One of the last times I have been there ended up in a photo shooting. I tried a few outfits and sooner then I knew it, a bunch of mobile cameras were spying on me. Or… was the guy trying on the wedding dress in the next cabin, the attraction?

Tip: Don’t forget about the happy hour on Wednesday, between 11:00 and 13:00 o’clock, when the kilogram price goes from 14 to 10 Euro!

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Garage | Shopping | One kilo € 14.00
Ahornstraße 2 | Schöneberg | +49302112760
Mon & Wed 11:00 – 19:00, Thu – Fri 11:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00

My favorite backyard (see the Backyards article): Haus Schwarzenberg.

One could say there are two cafes/bars, two shops, a gallery, a cinema, a museum…But that wouldn’t be enough to describe the importance of Haus Schwarzenberg. For getting a proper feeling of the cultural Berlin you have to go there.

Here is where Otto Weidt saved lives of deaf and blind Jewish workers from Holocaust in his broom and brush workshop. Find out more about this historical place in the “Museum Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt“.

The memorial “Stille Helden” honors and commemorates those people who, like Otto Weidt, risked their own lives to rescue prosecuted Jewish people from assured death.

Go further through to the second backyard. Here’s the lovely cinema “Central” (see this article). Also, you have the café “Kaschemme” which is “turned” into a bar and renamed “Eschschloraque” at 20:00 (see this article), a place with an alien-like decoration and really friendly staff.

Above the “Eschschloraque” is the “Neurotitan” – an extremely unique shop and gallery that sells, supports and exhibits all kinds of works of local artists, be it paintings/drawings, CDs/records or t-shirts/tops, books or other stuff.

Other places in Haus Schwarzenberg that are also worth going to are the “Anne-Frank-Zentrum” – an exhibition about the life of the Jewish girl whose diary became so famous and the lovely “Café Cinema”.

Finally, take some time to look at the walls. Most of Berlin’s famous street artists, such as Alias, El Bocho, Karl Toon or Vectorian, are present here.

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Haus Schwarzenberg | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping
Rosenthaler Strasse 39 | Mitte
Daily

Located next to the New Jewish Synagogue, the trio of backyards (see the Backyard article) “Heckmannhoefe” are really worth discovering.

Entering from Oranienburger Strasse, the first backyard contains a little bookshop and a candy-making shop in the basement, the “Bonbonmacherei” where you can watch Katja and Hjalmar produce traditional sweets with antique equipments.

In the second backyard, the main one of the three, you’ll see why this is certainly one of the nicest backyards complexes in Scheunenviertel. It houses a little theater, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and even a hairdresser’s shop. The surrounding ivy clad buildings invite you to take a seat on a bench next to a lovely little fountain.

In the third backyard which you can also enter from Auguststrasse there isn’t that much special stuff going on – except for the impression you’ll get when you see how residents have improved their homes with a nice little gazebo structure in their own backyard – that is the real Berliner backyard culture (see the Backyard article)!

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Heckmannhoefe | Art & culture, Relaxing, Shopping, Theaters
Oranienburger Strasse 32 | Mitte
Daily

For those with a penchant for old school finesse and looking for exquisitely tailored ensembles, this is the place for you.

HvE designs are a nod to 20th century sophistication with 30’s style glamour with some Beatlesque 60’s cuts – contemporary twists on old classics. Accompanying the wide range of suits, tuxedos, skirts and blazers on offer, are a selection of dainty matching accessories such as trilby’s, top hats, cuff-links and pocket watches.

The HvE boutique is a sleek and modern affair, with accents of vintage chic alluded to but never overt, allowing the garments to stand out and speak for themselves.

Herr Von Eden himself, owner and designer Bent A. Jensen, literally embodies the spirit of his brand from top to toe.  Always immaculately turned out and never seen dressed in anything but his own designs, as well as featuring in his own campaigns.

The friendly and informed staff can put together a great look to suit your type or needs, matching fabrics / colours in the blink of an eye.  If you’re leaving town and need your purchase adjusted, they will happily modify the garment for free then post it onto you at a minimal cost, arriving freshly pressed at your doorstep.

I’m convinced that my Viennese boyfriend uses me as a thinly veiled excuse to come to Berlin and buy his Herr Von Eden suits.

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Herr Von Eden | Shopping | Average suit € 550.00
Alte Schönhauser Str 14 | Mitte
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 20:00, Sat 10:30 – 18:00

The Kastanienalle is a long lively road lined wtih an abundance of cafes, restaurants and trendy shops; half of the street resides in Prenzlauerberg and the other half in Mitte.  I kind of have a love hate relationship with this street, on one hand its’ a prime location for people watching as you have a coffee, with its mix of fashionistas, young 30 something parents with their bugaboo strollers and locals that have lived here even before the wall came down.

On the other hand Kastanienalle can be tiresome, with the constant flux of painfully hip youngsters sporting their asymmetric hairstyles and nu rave chic, strutting down the street like runway models, which has lead to my friends and I sardonically renaming it Casting-allee. (Gee I’m starting to sound like an old age pensioner)

Despite this, there are a host of little spots that make it well worth a stroll down. You can always find cutting edge new fashion designers showcased at the Temporary showroom, where Kastanienallee meets Schwedterstrassse; or if you are more of a modern classicist there is also a small branch of womans’ prêt-a-porter brand Thatchers.

On a warm sunny spring or summers day/eve it is always pleasant to pop into the Prater beer garden (located near the Eberswalderstrasse end of Kastanienalle) and take in the sunshine with a nice pint of radler and a schnitzel.

There are also a couple of oddball, for want of a better word, ‘post-modern’ shops that don’t actually sell anything, like the Apple Macintosh shop that is never open and displays broken and outdated computer models in the window.

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Kastanienallee | Bars, Relaxing, Shopping
Kastanienallee | Prenzlauer Berg
24 hours daily

If you are looking for that special ensemble, something a little different,  a one of a kind contemporary piece,  that certain something special for an evening out and about in Berlin town that screams NOTICE ME!!!!  Then you have to pay a visit to ‘Let it Bleed’ in Kreuzberg.This  boutique meets  showroom, offers men and women,  daring and edgy hand tailored unisex clothing and accessories. You can find limited edition screen-printed T-Shirts with punk sensibility, bag designs referencing pop culture past and present, or Glam rock deconstructed asymmetric Lycra stretch dresses with clashing patterns.American and Spanish designers, Juan Chamié and Sylvia Pujol, hold court most days in their boutique on the Wienerstrasse, and on Sundays can be found selling their ware at Mauerpark flea market.  If you see a piece that is either not in your size or you have specific made to measure requests, do not hesitate to ask Juan, who is more than happy to accommodate special orders, as long as they do not clash with his very bold and daring fashion sensibilities/vision.

Once you have an original ‘Let it Bleed’ ensemble, in the infamous words of Ru Paul ‘You better work it girl’

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Let it Bleed | Art & culture, Shopping | Orginal limited edition dress € 150
Wienerstrasse 36 | Kreuzberg | +493081014007
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 21:00

Fashion for Nerds, fashion for brave hearts and fashion for fashion victims – there is no limit for craziness, colorfulness and extravagance.

The shop in the stylish heart of Mitte answers the question where all the clothes from the last 3 decades went. Made in Berlin is one of three secondhand shops (Colours: Bergmannstr. 102; Garage (see the Garage article): Ahornstr. 2) which offers selected and definitely trend-setting clothes for girls and boys. On two floors you will find fancy accessories like hats and shoes, strange dresses, cute shirts and blouses and many more things letting hearts of fashion addicted bloom.

As a special for bargain hunters: Every Tuesday from 12:00 – 15:00 you get 20 % discount on everything.

By the way don’t be put off by the shop’s fusty smell. I don’t know why secondhand always has the same unpleasant smell. But be sure in this fashion paradise the visual will detract your nose!

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Made in Berlin | Shopping | shirts from € 5.00
Neue Schönhauser Straße 19 | Mitte | +493021230601
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 20:00

I am always grateful that I live in Prenzlauerberg, as my apartment is always a stones’ throw away from all my favourite places, luckily enough Mauerpark flea market counts as one them.  On a lazy Sunday morning I can leisurely brunch in a local café beforehand and mosey on down to Mauerpark to look out for a good deal or two.

Everyone from students to local’s camp out at their market stalls early Sunday morning (as the market opens from 07:00-17:00) selling their household brick-a-brack, clothing, music instruments, bicycles, records and more at a bargain prices. Throw in a couple of snack stands into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a leisurely Sunday.

In the summer I enjoy browsing through records, finding some quirky second hand shoes from the 70’s/80’s or buying some bargain furniture/pictures to decorate my apartment with.  Then I have a cool beverage and a warm pretzel in the beer garden located between the flea market and park.

Fear not, the Mauerpark Flohmarkt stays open even in winter months, where market stall sellers keep warm with a flask of tea and die hard bargain hunters dare Berlin’s biting cold, warming themselves up with a tasty and comforting Glühwein.

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Mauerpark Flohmarkt | Shopping
Bernauer strasse 63-64 | Prenzlauer Berg
Sun 07:00 – 17:00

Simon-Dach-Strasse became very famous over the last couple of years. It is not at all a secret, hidden road but still more than worth to choose for going out.

Restaurants, cafes, bars, snack bars (such as the “Pizza Dach” (see the Pizza Dach article) or “Tigris” (see the Tigris article) and even barber shops, ice cream parlours, shops and bakeries – the whole road is lined with them. There is always a bar that offers Happy Hour for cocktails (then € 3.50 – € 4.50). Beers cost between € 2.70 – € 3.00 in most places.

Find all styles of bars: rock, retro, old school or modern ones. One bar, the “DK – Dachkammer” even has a very atmospheric lounge on the floor upstairs.
On Saturdays and Sundays people gather for “Brunch” when all cafes and restaurants offer quality buffet (all you can eat) for between € 5.00 and € 10.00.

When walking through Simon-Dach-Strasse pay attention to the recently renovated old buildings that are now probably more beautiful than they were in the times when they were built – an extraordinary example is on corner Simon-Dach-Str./Krossener Str. – check it out!

Important to know: Many more restaurants, cafes and bars are located at close by roads “Gabriel-Max-Strasse”, “Grünberger Strasse”, “Wühlischstrasse”, “Boxhagener Strasse” and “Gärtnerstrasse”. Although the most important road of all, “Simon-Dach-Strasse” can be used as a synonym for the whole area (in German called “Kiez”), including famous Boxhagener Platz (see the Boxhagener Platz article).

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Simon-Dach-Strasse | Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants
Simon-Dach-Strasse | Friedrichshain
Daily

My secret tip : Sonntagstrasse.

For going out, most Berliners know and use trendy areas like around Simon-Dach-Strasse (see the Simon-Dach-Strasse article) or Kastanienalle (see the Kastanienalle article). But if you go to Sonntagstrasse (regularly or not) you are either a real local or have read this article. Even those tourists who stay in nearby hostels are rarely seen here.

Get yourself a cheap pizza, kebab or beer in one of the cheaper stores and have it on a bench in adjacent Lenbachplatz (a little green area including meadows, a playground, table tennis tables, swings and soccer/basketball courts).

Or go for cocktails, coffee, beer, breakfast or foosball (here better known as “Kicker”) in one of the hip bars and cafes, such as the “Geronimo”, “Uebereck”, “Coffe Karma”, “Sunday”, “Tonart”, “Sieben” or “Lykia”. Or enjoy fine dining in the Asian restaurant “Transit”.

Sonntagstrasse even satisfies lovers of culture, e.g. in the theater “Zebrano” (simultaneously a bar & cafe). Also, unique clothing stores invite for shopping.

Located in the very east of trendy district Friedrichshain, Sonntagstrasse is extremely easy to reach by public transport. It starts exactly at one of two exits of S-Bahn station “Ostkreuz” (the northern exit!). Also, bus no. 240 and tram no. 21 pass by (get off at “Neue Bahnhofstrasse”). The famous Simon-Dach-Strasse (see the Simon-Dach-Strasse article) is within a walking distance of about 10 minutes.

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Sonntagstrasse | Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Several)
Sonntagstrasse | Friedrichshain
Daily

Spielwiese is a one room, rather small but cosy bar/ shop close to Warschauerstr.
What make it a special bar are its walls – they are packed with over 1100 games. Chess, Siedler, Monopoly, Risk and Magnet Table Football and many others one could not yet imagine. Games are available for rent and sale too.

The owner of the place, Mr. Michael Schmitt will amaze you with his knowledge of games. There might be people guessing with coffee, others in stars, Mr. Schmitt might be able to guess the game matching your personality.

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Spielwiese | Art & culture, Bars, Relaxing, Shopping | Wine € 2.92
Kopernikusstr 24 | Friedrichshain | +493028034088
Mon, Thu & Fri – Sat 14:00 – 00:00, Tue & Sun 14:00 – 21:00

St George is a small English book store in Woertherstr. The place is packed with new and second hand books in English.

Last time I stopped there I got Bukowski’s ‘What matters most is how well you walk through the fire’. I opened the book by chance and got to stare at two white pages. And remembered I wanted to write about the place.

However, such a location has an ability of weaving its own story. And on top of everything, the team behind the books is very friendly. Every now and then, they also organize evenings meant to bring people together, to read each other or to each other.

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St George | Shopping | Bukowski’s book. € 6.00
Wörtherstr. 27 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493091798333
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 29:00 , Sat 11:00 – 19:00

Not far from Mauerpark, this is quirky shop occupies two shop fronts right next to each other on the Eberswalderstrasse , hosting a collection of items (mainly clothing) ranging from the 40′ s – 80’s apparel.

German speakers may deduce from the name that ‘Stiefelkombinat’ (Boot collective) specialises solely in boots, but you would be mistaken, as the name is a bit misleading.  They do of course have a range of cowboy, biker or ankle boots on offer but as well as that they house a very good range of men’s vintage clothing.  It’s a great find as the vintage market is over-saturated in woman’s clothing, so to find a place that has such an extensive and exclusive selection of men’s apparel is quite a treat.

They have beautiful suits for men from the 40’s and 50’s; a collection of stylish hats to match and their shoes are well maintained, with a choice of leather brogues.  Amusingly enough there’s a small selection of high waisted male ‘Y’ front underpants hung up by the doorway, wafting in the wind as you enter/exit the shop.

In the second space next door, you can find old DDR brands like VEB Berliner damenmode, Leipziger Kunstpelzmoden or Dresdener Hutmoden. They also have vintage tube radios, decorative lighting, nick knacks, posters and magazines for sale as well.  If you love vintage you will love Stiefelkombinat, I know it satisfies my vintage cravings at least once a month.

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Stiefelkombinat | Shopping
Eberswalder Str. 21-22 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493051051234
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 22:00, Sat 09:30 – 22:30

Normally I tend to have a penchant for cast-offs from the 30’s and 40’s, but in the case of VEB Dress Faktor it’s hard for me to resist the colourful and eclectic offerings from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s on display in this shop.

Actually Dress Faktor is linked to a set of three other such shops in the Prenzlauerberg area all about 200-300 meters apart from each other and part of the VEB Orange group. All three specialise in an assortment of DDR second hand clothes, furnishings and accessories.

There is the VEB Danz Schuh (Danziger Str. 2)- A small mix of shoes and coats
VEB Orange (Oderberger Str. 29) – DDR posters, furniture and accessories
Dress Faktor (Schliemannstrasse) – Woman’s apparel – Dresses, shoes, stockings and hats.

There is a plethora of colourful dresses/outfits in synthetic fabrics encircling the shop on entering. Everything from voluminous tulle and satin cocktail dresses with puffy sleeves to polyester trousers and jumpsuits, which are reminiscent of the bionic woman’s wardrobe.  Having a bit of an obsession with shoes of every ilk, their selection of shoes is also formidable.  Rows upon rows of high heels, peep toes, sandals, Mary Janes, and boots.

Dress Faktor (as well as Danz Schuh and Orange) are not only places where you can snag a bargain on retro  clothing or furniture, but through their collection also captures a sense of history, giving visitors a small glimpse into the day to day being and styles of DDR period Berlin.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
VEB Dress Faktor | Shopping
Schliemannstr. 46 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493097886886
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00