Shopping in Berlin - Hackescher Markt

While I studied and lived in Potsdam I naturally often went to Berlin (15 minutes by region train) for many cultural events and of course also for shopping tours. When I was looking for clothes, my ways often lead me to 'Bhf-Zoo' and 'Steglitz' (the nearest from Potsdam), while trying to find some Asian inspired things, I was traveling the whole city from 'Neukölln' to 'Westhafen' and when I wanted to find nice gifts for someone or even myself... or when I wanted to show Berlin shops to guests... then I was coming to the S-Bahn Station 'Hackescher Markt' in Berlin-Mitte.
On the junction between Oranienburger Street and Rosenthaler were a lot of tourist spots, like the famous 'Hackeschen Höfe', the other houses were often not renovated and still there were already designer shops inside... When you wanted to understand how Berlin (East) was changing over the years, it was the best place to see and shop... :-)
Especially in Alte and Neue Schönhauser street were numerous shops of Berlin designers as well as young international designers, like Miss Sixty, Replay, Camper etc. About all this shops I won't write today, but I will give my very own Top 8 of must-visits... There are a lot of other nice shops around, some of them are so small, that they were not online available... so don't bother if I forgot something... just have a close look at your next Berlin visit and enjoy.


1. Butlers
My first Shop is Butlers on Hackescher Markt 4.
Butlers is an european decoration chain, which opened eight stored in Berlin over the last couple of years.
The shops are selling everything for the home, from nicely decorated ideas for the kitchen, work, eating, parties and garden. It might not be an original Berlin product, but its still worth a visit and you can easily find something elegant, funny, natural, colorful or stylish for your sister, boss, best friend or just for your own home, with average prices... :-)



After a walk through the tourist hot spots and maybe even for a coffee in the Hackeschen Höfe, you can walk next to the court of Roses.. the “Rosenhöfe” which are a bit smaller, but therefore less crowded.

2. Sergio Engel
There, I liked to visit Sergio Engel jewelery, in the Rosenthaler Str. 36.
The company Sergio Engel is producing jewelery in Berlin since 20 years and they also have a shop in these Rosenhöfe. All products are made by hand and the parts are coming from well known quality companies, like f.e. all crystals and pearls from Swarovski Components. So, when you are buying one of their many ear rings or necklaces you are always bringing a real piece “made in Berlin” back home.


Now we are leaving the Rosenhöfe and crossing the street to the corner of Rosenthaler and Neue Schönhauser street. And that's how we are reaching Shop...

3. Tukadu
Tukadu is a very small beads and pearls shop with thousands of different beads and buttons, fabrics and other often unusual material. It is actually surprising, how so much can fit in the tiny shop. You can choose beads, buy and make something of it at home by yourself, you can start there on the spot or learn in a course or if you think, that you are just not creative enough or don't have the time, they also sell a little bit of ready-made jewelery.



Finally we walk into the Schönhauser Straße and decide to sit for a while in a café or visit one of the several designer shops in the street. One for real furniture design 'freaks', but also for several tourists is Shop Number....

4. Schönhauser 18 (Neue Schönhauser Strasse 18)
Since 1997, this shop is selling innovative new and old accessories, second hand furniture from the 1970 like brightly colored plastic chairs or classics from Mies van der Rohe or Arne Jacobsen. There are special Berlin Souvenirs for Breakfast or games with GDR motifs, Second Hand Bags from “Interflug” the former GDR- Airline and many other things. It is really worth a visit and even when you are just buying a postcard... you will like even this selection... I always have the feeling that I need to buy something out of this store, because it is all so great. The prices are above average... what is a bit slowing down my enthusiasm, but I love this shop :-)




Now we are walking to the end of the Neue Schönhauser Straße. At the junction to Münzstraße, you can visit the American Apparel store, or just have a look through the windows... how different the interior can be, one shop is having an elegant country theme with chandelier and wood, the very next shop (Acne Jeans I guess, but I am not so sure) is grey industrial style, with metal and everything is strict and technical.
We are now crossing the Münzstraße and following the road into the Alte Schönhauser Straße, until the Number 33/34, then we walk through the main gate, to the second court and there we can see our Number 5, which is this time not a shop, but a studio (I guess this Number is just for women;)

5. Wax in the City
This wax studio was the first one of the successful studio chain, which made waxing as a method of hair removal in Germany popular as well. The studios are light and beautiful, you can walk in without an appointment and the prices are perfectly alright. When I went there for the first time, I was afraid, that it will hurt and was surprised, that I actually nearly fell asleep while my hair got removed with nicely warm and good smelling, natural bee wax.



Some houses the street down comes our next Shop (6.) which I will feature in an extra post above this one... its the OK Shop and Mail order from Lukas Plum in Alte Schönhauser Str. 36/37.
Before we turn around, we can walk to the next store, which is a nice store with products from Nepal, Tibet and India. You can buy Sarees there and second hand channiya choli, Pillows and bed throws, crazy and warm accessories as well as you can sit for a while and drink a tea.
After this welcome break, we cross the street and walk back on the other side to have a close look on the shops there. Some smaller shops, like a Nightmare before Christmas/ Emily the strange etc. theme store or an English book store are awaiting your visit, until we reach the junction of Münzstreet and Schönhauser again.
Now, we are turning right and walking up the Weinmeisterstraße, watching with big eyes through the windows of an comic store and finally reaching the Rosenthaler Straße again.
After 5 minutes walk, we can see our next destination, at Rosenthaler Str. 17... Shop Number...

7. Waahnsinn Berlin
The name means craziness and is meant literally.. the shop is crowded, full and fun. They are specialized in second-hand retro clothes and furniture from the 50-70s with a lot of old east German furniture where many people get this feeling of: my granny also had the same, and now its chic again... But, they also have new design available, like for example new bags and the shop is taking its theme and style not that serious. Just have a look for old chairs and sunglasses and maybe you will start liking the shop, as well... :-)





8. Fluffy White Pink
The very next and last shop for today is pretty much opposite to its neighbor 'Waahnsinn' and its again a store, where the guys probably don't even need to have a look. It is the official Hello Kitty-Store in Berlin-Mitte at Rosenthaler Straße 15, and so the name is again... program. It's all about clocks and figures and every kind of merchandise from the cute, white Japanese Kitty and her other Sanrio Friends and the store concept by itself is real Sanrio-Design. Additional, you can buy a lot of clothes which are not just from Sanrio, but also other colorful hoodies, dresses and tops, so it is worth a look.



After the end of this Shop-List you can walk up the Rosenthaler to take the Underground-Train from “Rosenthaler Platz” or you can walk back to S-Hackescher Markt or U-Weinmeisterstraße or if you don't want to use the public transport right now and you still feel like walking, just go down the Münzstraße directly towards Alexanderplatz. ... :-)