Archives for “Shopping” tag

Once one enters a second hand you never know what you are going to get. It’s a matter of patience, luck and good eyes. Garage is a spacious basement, divided among clothes with individual prices (two corners for women and men and accessories) and clothes sold by kilogram.

While some second hand shops in Berlin started charging prices similar to shops selling new clothes, Garage managed to hold on to its second hand prices especially in the ‘kilogram section’.

Tip: Happy hour on Wednesday, between 11:00 and 13:00 o’ clock: the kilogram price goes down 30%.

Looking for a Smartphone, water-tap, a carpet or vintage lamps? The Hallentrödelmarkt Treptow is an indoor flea market for everything you could ever need. That means: Trash as trash can! Countless stalls specialized on a certain product group – like kitchen utensils, flower pots or remote controls – stand closely side by side. The cramped halls stack more or less useful stuff from the ground to the roof. Bargainees not only come here to buy things. The huge halls also serve as a gathering point.

Beside a lot of kitsch and knickknack you can stumble upon well-kept vintage furniture or make a good deal. If you come here you can be sure you will be overwhelmed. This flea market is definitely not a beaten path or well-kept for tourists. So be prepared that it can be rough and chaotic. But take your time to discover the strange beauty of this hidden treasure box!

The flea market culture is something particularly wonderful in Berlin. But with so many people wanting to partake in this experience, popular flea markets like Mauerpark and Boxhagener platz have become something of a battle to walk through in the past few years.

As all of these markets started getting more and more crowded and rent prices started going up in the neighborhoods of Prenzlauerberg, Kreuzberg, and parts of Friedrichshain, many artists and international students moved their creative bohemian lifestyle down to the Neukölln streets. This little migration has changed the face of Neukölln drastically.

There are new ideas flowing and shops and bars popped up everywhere. And with these new additions came the ‘Nowkoelln Flowmarkt.’ It’s still small enough to have a very meticulous look about it and still local enough to find your next door neighbor selling homemade chocolate cake and coffee. But it’s hipper than other flea markets since its participants and visitors are mostly that wave of international creative types. You can still find odd little things like old 1950′s ornaments or modern locally hand-made trendy products. And all for flea market prices.

It only happens every third Sunday of the month, so check their blog for details. It’s always a nice, relaxed atmosphere – sometimes with street performers and ‘bio’ food stands. But most importantly, without the big tourist traffic jams.

On weekends I always love to go to Proviant. As the name promises here you’ll find everything you need for a perfectly laid table. When you step inside the corner shop you’ll feel like you’re in an Italian deli run by a real mamma who offers only the best gourmet food in her display: sausages in every possible form, ham that makes your mouth water, cheese from different countries and delicious antipasti. They even have bread from the oven and wine to make your dinner complete. Plus you’ll find everything for pasta perfetta, like different sorts of noodles and pestos.

If you are too lazy to create your own meal just take a seat in the corner and order a huge breakfast or snack with all the bells and whistles. If you give a party Proviant can even provide the catering or they prepare you a wholesome picnic basket for your next trip to the park.

Proviant is even open on Sundays unlike all the usual supermarkets around. 

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 vintage 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 musty smell. I don’t know why vintage always has the same unpleasant smell. But you can be sure the visuals in this fashion paradise will distract your nose!