City Report: Keep on strolling - Berlin Design Stores
By Mike Riemel
So there is the new arisen economy. Back from the cellar it seems people are back in the buying mood. Media says. SO if this is true or if you are bringing in the energy (money) as a tourist in the city you should make sure to buy the right things at the right places to support the local dealers and NOT go to Kulturkaufhaus Dussmann or just chain stores. Eat what the locals eat. And the places are there - spread all over the city sometimes difficult to find but - believe me - worth a look as there you can find the sweets that were produced here in the laboratory.
So again I'll start with Mitte as that's where the diversity is probably the highest. At least in terms of shopping. Let's start the stroll right at Hackescher Markt, where the 'belly' of east berlin was. In the last unrenovated backyard you can find the "Haus Schwarzenberg". Home of the "Central" Movietheatre, the Eschschloraque,ruemschschruemp" cocktail bar and - for a long time - the videocutupbar "Snipers". Go Upstairs now and you enter the colorful world of NEUROTITAN. Comicdesigners, Graphic originals, pieces of art, a great choice of design books, amazing discoveries and crazy local music products are part of the repertoire. Next door is the gallery that stages amazing art shows and live performances. There are monsters dwelling in the cellar and quite some interesting ateliers, the "Anne Frank Museum" and offices you might get a glimpse of too if you are lucky. By the way: the first "White Trash" creeped out of this court! Long ago...
Just walk a bit in the direction of the new Hackesche Höfe. There is the still new location of the great "Berlinerklamotten" boutique, which brings together all the small micro fashion labels from the madhouse. Chic, cool, crazy, sexy stuff starting from belts and braces to a full suit or a weird shirt.
Then move on to the Alexanderplatz. In the AUSBERLIN Shop you'll stumble into smart design goodies, great souvenirs and a wider scope of the glossy magazine world that comes out of Berlin. Music is there, of course and the urban setting does the rest. Leave the Alex and run down the Weinmeisterstrasse passing 
all the Berlin Flagshistores of the big brands (don't get caught by their marketing) and enter the Schoenhauser Allee. In the new bent part of the shopping avenue on the left I would recommend the "Schoenhauser Design" Store for cool furniture, lamps and alike. The best second hand clothes store is the lovely "Soma" on the right side. Girls will love it! For Books and I mean demanding art, economics, gender, architecture and urbanism stuff, you should get at the recently moved unique "pro qm" store.
Jump to the next location - the Rosenthaler platz area. Here is the home of the most original silk screeners in a former butcher shop called the "Fleischerei". You can rent their equipment for your own productions or scan their great stickers, shirts and posters. They play an important role in the legendary street art scene. Ignore the new galleries if you can and get some nice pop goodies at the "Risi Bisi". Could be even an original by the infamous Jim Avignon or a sweet microworld by Dorisland. Take the tram up to Prenzlauer Berg and check the "Luxury International". Maybe the oldest of the small boutiques that has up to 400 designers in his tiny space. If you haven't found a present for you or your sweethearts yet, then get new glasses. In the deeper Prenzlauer Berg you must see the "Supalife Kiosk," getting some of the nicest works from the best producers.
Now another tram ride over to Friedrichshain to enter the world of "Big Brobot". Characters and toons are their USp. And - almost done I guess - walk through the Kiez to get a glimpse of "Berlinomat". They are very selective in their choice and the approach is slightly more snobby. But hey: Life's what you make it. In any of the named stores you will find competent and friendly advisors who run the place. They are able to communicate. It's their business... So don't be shy to ask for whatever. They might know...
I forgot to mention the "Merz" recently moved to the "Klötze und Schinken" shop in guess what: Neukölln 
Design Stores Neurotitan, Rosenthalerstrasse 39, http://www.neurotitan.de/ Berlinerklamotten, Hackesche Höfe, Hof 3, http://www.berlinerklamotten.de/ * Ausberlin, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 17, http://www.ausberlin.de/ * Soma, Alte Schönhauser Strasse 27, http://www.soma-berlin.de/ Luxury International, Kastanienallee 101, www.luxus-international.de/ Risi Bisi, Brunnenstrasse 7, http://www.risi-bisi.de/ * Fleischerei, Torstrasse 116, http://www.beatleprint.de/fleischerei/ Hasipop, Oderberger Straße 39, http://www.hasipop.de/ Big Brobot, Koernikusstrasse 19, http://bigbrobot.as-hell.com/ * Merz c/o Klötze und Schinken, Buerknerstrasse 12, http://www.merz-berlin.de/ Schoenhauser Design, Neue Schönhauser Str. 18, http://www.schoenhauser-design.de/ * pro QM, Almstadtstrasse 48-50, http://www.pro-qm.de/ * Berlinomat, Frankfurter Allee 89, http://www.berlinomat.com/ *
* Internet Shopping possible
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There are a few record shops I missed last issue for cool vinyl:
Mitte Musik, Alte Schoenhauser Strasse 33-34, techno, house Musik unter den Gleisen, Friedrichsstrasse 128, every genre Clubsound Records, Eberswalderstrasse 32, techno, house Da Capo, Kastanienallee 96, jazz, soul, ddr, ethno Neurotitan, Rosenthalerstrasse 39, avantgarde, noise, idm
By the way: the flea markets are great for records shopping On Sunday try the Arconaplatz and the Mauerpark. You'll find specialities, nice prices and obscure material from around the world. For GDR stuff and Amiga pressings you should check the market in front of the Pergamon Museum.
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