Shopping

Tucked away in a cobbled backyard you’ll find one of the biggest and best second hand clothes stores in Copenhagen. Some of the items might be a bit on the expensive side but it is outweighed by the amount of really cool stuff for both men and women. Retro T-shirts, furs, leather jackets, shoes, sequin dresses, lumberjack shirts and kilts: the list goes on. Brands range from high street chains to coats from Burberry, and though most things in the store are second hand, there’s also a little new stuff, often in limited edition.

If what you’re after is the home-knitted look of Sarah Lund in The Killing, you can be almost sure to find a sweater that is as close to the one she is wearing without having to make it yourself in KBH K, even at a reasonable price.

In addition to clothing, København K also has a selection of books and CD’s and various kinds of gizmos and gadgets to dress up your home with.

Birna is a one of my all-time favorite clothes stores in Copenhagen. It’s a one of only two concept stores in Europe, the other one is in Reykjavik. The owner and founder of the brand, Birna (hence the name of the store), is from Iceland, and I love her designs. They always differ slightly from the expected, they are edgy and soft at the same time, feminine but with at bit of an attitude, which I love. Even more importantly: Birna’s designs tend to have a very flattering fit.

Scandinavians are said to like their black, white and greys – absolutely true – and Birna is no different. You always find a lot black/white/grey in the store, but mixed with large portions of bright colors and surprising cuts.

In the summer the black is toned down a little, so you might have more luck getting something in color.

Lately Birna has expanded the items in the store to contain a small selection of shoes and bags.

All girl-stuff I’m afraid, nothing for the guys, sorry.

Right at the beginning of Nørrebrogade you will find the New York-inspired underground clothes store McKorman. I remember McKorman from when I first moved to Copenhagen years ago. Back then they mostly sold old army stuff and military boots, and it was the store to go to when you wanted the perfect festival outfit, including a tent you knew for sure wouldn’t get washed away by festival mud.

They still sell army-style stuff, but have expanded the repertoire to include street wear and retro classics, cool T-shirts and sailor-inspired dresses. And no more tents. I have bought some of my favorite T-shirts in McKorman. In McKorman you can also get a pair of those classic Scandinavian naver pants with the double zippers that you’ve always wanted.

They sell funny gadgets, badges, sunglasses, bags, shoes and boots, pilot helmets in leather and lots more, so I can only recommend that you go and explore the shop yourself.

The staff is always incredible friendly and helpful and completely down to earth.

Copenhagen is a very, very good city for lovers of vinyl.

Several music stores have well-stocked vinyl departments, and finding stores with second hand vinyl is easy.

One of the indisputably best vinyl stores in the city is Route 66, where I have bought countless records. They have an excellent selection of new vinyl: not just the bands you already know but also underground music and local bands which the store releases on its own record label, Danish Vinyl Production.

The basement is filled with second hand vinyl, so happy hunting.

The window is packed with the newest releases and reprints. Be careful when you enter the shop, there’s a good chance you’ll lose track of time and spend far more time (and money) in there than intended, but that’s what happens when you stand alongside like-minded people shuffling through record boxes and listening to whatever the owner is playing at that moment. On vinyl, of course (CDs are not allowed into this particular store).

Walking around in this fabulous store feels a bit like visiting a museum, except you can buy everything on display. And though I have to admit that I have never actually bought anything (yet) on my many browsing visits to this two-storey shop packed with beautiful objects, I strongly recommend a visit – especially if you are interested in classic furniture design from the twentieth century.

You’ll find original design by Danish designers like Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton and Poul Henningsen, but also by designers such as Charles & Ray Eames. In addition to furniture Roxy sells prints, ceramics in various guises, lamps and many other beautiful things.

Back in the 1920s one of the store’s backrooms used to be a pub of sorts –  ’Slyngelstuen’ – where actors from the nearby Nørrebro Theatre and other locals would come to quench their thirst. Among them was the Danish painter and inventor Storm P, who painted a long frieze in the room. The motif of the frieze would later form the basis for a humorous and in Denmark widely popular cartoon, Peter and Ping. The drawings can still be seen on the walls.