Shopping

The Langstrasse area, in Kreis (districts) 4 and 5, is known for both its multicultural scene and its design community. As such, it plays host every year to Kreislauf 4 + 5, when 90 or so stores and studios open their doors to show their works and give the public an opportunity to speak with the designers.

If you’re not in Zurich the weekend it takes place in May (this year 24th – 26th of May 2013), it’s still worth checking out the event’s website, one of the best and most complete lists of Zurich’s many ateliers and designers, ranging from fashion and interior to jewellery and art – and available in English.

The entry for each label includes a short description along with a picture and the shop address. Under “Maps fo district” you’ll also find two maps to print with which you can do your own tour all year round.

Switzerland is known – amongst other things – for cheese. You find large selections at every Supermarket, but if you’re looking for a special experience, try Welschland. The charming shop at Zweierstrasse offers specialities from the French part of Switzerland (hence the name), where you’ll find various soft and hard cheeses, cheese for Raclette and mixtures for Fondue (two Swiss dishes with melted cheese). The owners Jürg Steiner and Laurent Houriet are behind the counter from Tuesday to Saturday and are there for any questions you might have about one of the products (they know everything!). They’re always willing to give samples – cheese, cured meat or sausages.

Every week, Laurent Houriet drives to the French part to visit farmers, butchers, small producers, wine makers and cheese makers to find the best products for their shop: Mustard with honey, home made jam, special oils and vinegars, local wines, syrups and various kind of chocolates. If you’re looking for a souvenir, I recommend the absinthe pralines or a nostalgic fondue set to take home. If you choose the former, you might want to take two packs to make sure that at least one will make it home.

Caritas runs several charity shops in Zurich where people can donate and buy used clothes, shoes and household items. Three of them are located in Wiedikon, all within a stone’s throw of each other: a clothes store at Birmensdorferstrasse 52, a bargain clothes store called Netto at Birmensdorferstrasse 38 and a shop called Kunst & Krempel selling bric-a-brac.

It goes without saying that the Netto store scores highest for fun out of them all. Wacky and bold-colored garments reign supreme. If browsing is your cup of tea you can sift through piles of clothes for hours on end here. Donate your old clothes through a flap lid in the yard before restocking your wardrobe at the shop. This is charity and recycling in one neat little package.

Across the road at Birmensdorferstrasse 53, Kunst & Krempel is the closest you will get to a jumble sale this side of The Channel.

No matter which store you’ll go for, you can shop to your heart’s content at Caritas, safe in the knowledge that with your purchase you support their worthy cause, helping the poor and deprived in Switzerland and abroad.

Although it has been around for a few years, I’ve only recently discovered Pile of Books. While gallivanting around the neighborhood, I happened to notice a small shop front exhibiting English books.

Small though Pile of Books appears in size, it offers a large and carefully compiled selection of English-language paperbacks. The shelves are stacked with fiction and non-fiction, modern favorites and classics. There’s a small section for used paperbacks if you fancy an old-school Penguin edition.

Please take note of Pile of Book’s somewhat erratic opening hours, or you may find yourself standing in front of a closed door.

What justification is there for a bookshop when there’s a plethora of online stores? For one, I do love the smell of books, and I love being able to take one out of the shelf and skim through it. Also, for all the genius algorithms behind “If you like this you will also like …”, nothing is as valuable as getting recommendations from a bookseller, and the guy at Pile of Books is happy to oblige.

Last but not least, there’s the instant gratification: you buy a book and can start reading it the second you walk out the store and continue your stroll through the neighborhood.

Look, generally I don’t share my shopping secrets, especially when it comes to stores or markets. But, since I write for Spotted by Locals, and their mantra is to portray cities from a local’s point of view, I will make an exception.

The bridge right in front of my house goes by two names – the official one being “Rathausbrücke”, and the unofficial one being “Gemüsebrücke”. I never fully understood the double entendre until one Saturday morning, after partying excessively, I saw vendors stocking their stands for what seemed to be an impending market. Through internet research I later found out that a teensy tiny market finds its home every Saturday morning on this petit piazza.

One bonus tip for flower lovers (as I am one myself): I usually never buy flowers at the store, since I am not willing to spend CHF 10 on three roses that will wilt in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. I will, however, stay until this market is over. At that point, the flower vendors mark down all their flowers half-price, leaving you to walk away with a delightful little rose array.

Bring Cash!