SHOPPING IN BERLIN
Berlin is a veritable paradise for people with an affinity for shopping. There’s probably not much you can’t get here, and not just for typical products, but also for special and unusual things. You’ll find fashion, accessories, art, creative and hip items for absolutely every taste and for different budgets. Whether you are looking for something specific or just like to drift around, you will hardly find a more impressive city for extensive shopping than Berlin.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASSICS
Berlin has shopping opportunities that are known far beyond the city limits and are real sightseeing tips. These include the following four classics in particular.
KADEWE
KaDeWe – Kaufhaus des Westens – is not only one of the most famous department stores in Europe, but also one of the largest. It has long been a symbol of the city and is primarily known for luxury products, from delicatessen to fashion and accessories. The individual areas extend over 60,000 square meters on eight floors on Tauentzienstraße.
DUSSMANN – THE CULTURAL DEPARTMENT STORE
If you like culture, you can’t go past the KulturKaufhaus Dussmann on Friedrichstraße. Five large and spacious floors offer you everything you need to buy in the areas of music and sheet music, films and audio books, stationery and books. Events such as book presentations, workshops and small concerts are often held here.
HACKESCHE HÖFE
The Hackesche Höfe are an extensive building complex in Mitte consisting of eight individual courtyards. They are each surrounded by stores and restaurants as well as cultural institutions. The Art Nouveau courtyards are worth a visit for their architecture alone. Here you will find a colorful mix of fashion, art and jewelry as well as the famous Ampelmännchen store, where you can buy numerous merchandise items for the coveted Ost-Ampelmännchen.
BIKINI BERLIN
Located right next to the Zoological Garden, this concept department store is unique in Berlin. Numerous labels and lifestyle companies are represented in temporary pop-up boxes in the listed building. They are only on display in the Bikini-Haus for a limited period of time, usually a few weeks to a few months at most. This flexibility allows new brands, for example, to test themselves and their products first.
Not only can you store in the building, but you can also view part of Berlin Zoo from the 7,000 square meter roof terrace. The view of the monkey rock is legendary.
The best malls in the city
Berlin is probably the city of malls, at least that’s the impression many people get when they see so many large and often exciting shopping centers. Shopping in Berlin from Alexanderplatz in the famous Alexa to the Gropius-Passagen in Neukölln and the Bouelvard Berlin in Steglitz, there is a shopping center in pretty much every major district. The following three are among the most popular.
MALL OF BERLIN
At Leipziger Platz in Mitte, you can shop in the famous Mall of Berlin in around 300 stores on an area of 76,000 square meters. The covered passage, which offers a direct line of sight to the Bundesrat building, is very impressive and is an interesting sightseeing spot.
EASTGATE BERLIN
If you have an affinity for fashion, you can’t go past Eastgate in Marzahn. There are more than 150 stores on around 32,000 square meters, including numerous different fashion stores with well-known labels. Bring some time and a little hunger with you, because the large food lounge in the mall is very tempting and varied.
THE PLAYCE
Following their extensive renovation and redesign, the former Potsdamer Platz Arkaden arcades have not only been given the new name The Playce, but also an innovative and versatile concept. Here you will find Europe’s largest food court with international specialties, a large Gamestate arcade and the world’s second largest NBA store for basketball fans. The mall is also an insider tip for numerous events and art shows.
A special feature of The Playce is the Second Hand in the City Club. Here you can buy clothes that have been worn by stars and well-known celebrities. The focus here is not on profit, as the owner donates half of her proceeds.
VINTAGE AND SECOND-HAND SHOPS
Clothes shopping in Berlin is possible in very different styles. The most popular styles include everything to do with retro, vintage and second-hand clothing of all kinds. You don’t have to look far in Berlin, as there is a large selection of exciting stores spread across the city.
VINTAGE REVIVALS
Shopping in Prenzlauer Berg is popular thanks to the many small stores. You can let yourself drift here, but you should definitely stop by Vintage Revivals on Schönhauser Allee. The store is a must for retro and vintage clothing. High-quality designer brands in particular are usually well represented.
GARMENTS VINTAGE
Shopping in Berlin Mitte will hopefully take you past Garments Vintage. Here you’ll find lots of unusual unique pieces and plenty of accessories and items from well-known designers. If you prefer to store in Prenzlauer Berg, you can also find Garments Vintage there, as it has two branches.
#HAHAYOUREUGLY
Things are unconventional at #HAHAYOUREUGLY on Warschauer Straße. The focus is on transforming supposedly ugly and old things into something beautiful and special. The range includes new collections every week as well as an extensive selection of second-hand and vintage clothing from the premium segment. Overall, the owners place great value on diversity.
CREATIVE SHOPPING CONCEPTS
Berlin is home to a wide variety of sustainable, future-oriented or simply particularly creative shopping ideas. These include numerous stores outside the mainstream that are well worth a visit.
LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT
If you like shopping at flea markets or on various online platforms, you’ll love Love at second sight. Here, private individuals book a clothes rail in the Bergmannkiez store for a period of either one or two weeks and offer their clothes and accessories without having to be there themselves.
NOCHMALL
Re-use is the keyword for the used goods department store of the Berlin city cleaning service. In Reinickendorf, you will find just about everything that belongs in a department store on an area of more than 2000 square meters. Well-maintained and in good condition is a prerequisite for being sold. And if you fancy some special items, rarities or popular classics, you can drop by for an auction on the first Saturday of every month.
THE IMAGINARY MANUFACTORY
In Oranienstraße, you can buy lovingly crafted products from workshops where people with and without disabilities work together. Whether wooden toys, ceramics, stationery items or textiles, sustainability is a top priority here. The handmade items make great gifts and are also ideal to keep for yourself.
THE BEST FLEA MARKETS
Berlin’s various flea markets are a relevant part of the city’s creative scene. There are a large number, some of which stay, but many of which leave. Competition is fierce, but there are also markets that have been part of the cityscape for years and are a real asset.
FLEA MARKET STRASSE DES 17. JUNI
On the Straße des 17. Juni, a traditional flea and art market takes place on Saturdays and Sundays. You can find everything here, from typical attic finds to clothing and high-quality arts and crafts. Bargaining is a must and real bargains are definitely possible. You won’t go hungry, there are various food stalls with fresh, delicious food.
FLEA MARKET IN MAUERPARK
One of the most important flea markets is the market at Mauerpark, which takes place every Sunday. Mauerpark is a large park located on Bernauer Straße in the Prenzlauer Berg district. The audience is a colorful mix, from students and artists to local residents and Berlin visitors. The market is large, with homemade items as well as curiosities, vintage clothing, handicrafts and books. There is also plenty of live music and lots of delicious treats.
NIGHT FLEA MARKET SO36
The famous music club SO36 is located in Kreuzberg. Once a month, the night flea market takes place here from 8 pm in the evening. Creative flea market stalls combined with live music and a relaxed atmosphere await you. In between, you can also play a round of table football or take advantage of free social counseling.
And what else?
Finally, we’ll give you three more tips and hints for strolling around Berlin.
SHOPPING MILES IN BERLIN
Unlike many other cities, Berlin does not have a single specific city center with a classic shopping area. Instead, there are many city centers (Kieze), each with their own shopping opportunities and sometimes exciting shopping miles, for example:
– Kurfürstendamm (many luxury stores and boutiques)
– Alexanderplatz (large shopping centers and department stores)
– Wilmersdorfer Arcaden (many retailers)
– Schönhauser Allee (designer stores, small individual stores)
– Friedrichstraße (high-priced fashion, designers)
SUNDAY SHOPPING IN BERLIN
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t store on Sundays in Berlin. There are consumer markets (for example at train stations or at the airport), flea markets and Sundays open for business, which take place at fixed times every year and apply to all stores.
Even the popular Spätis are subject to the Berlin Shop Opening Act and must close on Sundays and public holidays.
THE NIGHTMARKET
The Nightmarket takes place at irregular intervals in the Napoleon complex, the former workshops of Deutsche Bahn. It usually starts at 5.00 pm and ends at 1.00 am. You can mainly buy fashion and vintage, art and designer items. Live music and an art exhibition are also part of the experience.
