Berlin is considered the museum capital of old Europe, the architectural masterpieces of Brandenburger Tor, the Reichstag Building, the picturesque and smelling street Unter den Linden, the ensemble on Alexanderplatz and Kunfurstendamm attract an impressive portion of tourists every day.
One of the traditional bourgeois monuments of the city of Berlin is KaDeWe, a department store that has been living for more than a hundred years on Tauentzienstraße. This is a modern monument of bourgeois luxury, a modern atypical tourist attraction, a large-scale center of entertainment and beautiful life. KaDeWe is able to surprise a person who has seen a lot and ruin even the most inveterate miser.
KaDeWe - the best shopping experience in all of Germany
One of the mall's advertising slogans reads: "If we don't have a certain product, then most likely it does not exist"
The KaDeWe department store in Berlin, or Kaufhaus des Westens (Western trading house), is considered the largest department store in continental Europe. The area of the trading giant Ka-De-Ve is 60 thousand square meters. m. Every day the department store receives more than 50 thousand visitors. The building has 67 escalators and 26 elevators. This luxury shoppingthe machine works every day except sunday.
Given the scale and scope of this commercial enterprise, it is only natural that this particular store has become a favorite shopping destination for celebrities. At various times, Marlene Dietrich, Heidi Klum, Paris Hilton, almost all European princesses, Robin Williams and others were bought in the department store.
History of Germany's oldest boutique
Even if we take into account all the department stores in the world, KaDeWe (Berlin) is one of the most respectable and ancient among them. This trading centenarian was built back in 1907 by a businessman Adolf Yandof. Later, the building was sold to the Hertie company, and in the 30s it was confiscated and nationalized. After that, as is often the case with state-owned enterprises, the store was financially ruined, and soon destroyed, literally in 1943. The building was restored in the 50s, at that time the shopping center was a symbol of capitalist luxury and diversity. It only heightened the already distinct contrast between East and West Germany.
Today, the department store is considered a symbol of German quality, service and lifestyle. The composition of visitors is very diverse. But most of all in the department store there are Germans of respectable age, many Asians, especially Chinese, Russian buyers and onlookers who do not buy anything, but want to see all the splendor.
Shopping center geography: how not to get lost in the country of shopping
The KaDeWe building in Berlin is truly huge. In addition, this place is oftensometimes overcrowded due to its exorbitant popularity. Those who want to make a visit to the shopping center as productive as possible should first enlighten themselves at least approximately about where which outlets are located. Otherwise, there is a risk of spending all day looking for the necessary department.
The department store has 7 floors, each of which specializes in a certain group of goods.
1. The first floor is the patrimony of luxury perfumery and cosmetics stores. There are also boutiques with bags, watches, jewelry. The opportunity to meet a fake in the departments of such a status trading house is zero, the opportunity to meet an enthusiastic lady is one hundred percent.
2. The second floor was occupied by shops of goods for men. There is a large selection of truly German high-quality shoes, clothes, accessories from reputable brands in the luxury segment and the middle market: Lacoste, Hugo, Armani. Also an impressive range of products for sports and outdoor activities.
3. The third floor is another illustration of the novel about "women's happiness". It sells women's clothing, shoes, underwear, accessories.
4. The fourth floor should be visited by those who are looking for gifts, souvenirs, household goods, children's things, dishes, wedding things.
5. On the fifth floor there are shops where you can buy everything for entertainment: books, toys, goods for travelers, gadgets, appliances, 6. The sixth floor is completely dedicated to the gastronomy department. Here you can taste and buy all kinds of products in the mostunimaginable combinations.
7. On the seventh floor there is a restaurant with a picturesque panoramic view of Berlin and a gourmet selection of wines and snacks.
Which brands are represented in the department store
On the ground floor there are many outlets of world cosmetic brands and jewelry boutiques: Dr. Hauschka, Kanebo Sensai, La Mer, Estée Lauder, Lancome, La Prairie, Omega, Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Bulgari.
On the second and third floors there are many shops of the middle price segment and reputable German and European brands: Carven, Mary Katrantzou, Issa London, Theory, Alice + Olivia, Lacoste, Hugo, Escada, Armani, Gucci, The Row, Dior, Elizabeth & James, True Religion, Fred Perry.
Department of gastronomy - heaven for gourmets on the sixth floor
The famous 6th floor yummy paradise is another highlight of KaDeWe in Berlin. This department is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Its size and scope is amazing. The department sells more than 500 types of bread, 8 thousand types of cheese, more than two thousand varieties of wine. The department sells products of different, radically different price categories. This massive food hall sells the rarest and most unique delicacies and an endless variety of common foods. Three-quarters of all visitors to the department store visit this department. Moreover, if the entire department store is more of a tourist place for shopping, then the grocery section is the most likely to meet Germans.
Advice for beginners and continuing shopaholics. Or how to keep your mind and wallet
Most travelers who visit this iconic shopping center note that the prices here keep pace with its prestige. In many European shopping centers, especially in Munich, Milan, Barcelona, prices are lower even for similar crazy items than in KaDeWe in Berlin. The stores of our country, however, cannot boast of competitive prices even in comparison with the cult and expensive "KaDeVe". So for those who do not have a rich experience of European shopping, the prices in KaDeWe hotels will seem very pleasant, in comparison with Moscow or Kyiv. Moreover, the huge Berlin store has a much larger assortment and a higher quality of service.
For those who do not like to overpay, diet their wallet just for the sake of visiting the largest department store in Europe, you should remember a few rules.
Air travelers, when buying goods at a bargain price, should take into account their weight and immediately round off their cost virtually, taking into account how much they will have to pay extra at the airport for overweight. Or fly to Berlin with hand luggage only, and book a fare with luggage for the return flight.
Also, before visiting the shopping center, it will not hurt to get acquainted with the brands that are represented there and sketch out an approximate shopping list. For those who wish to have more detailed information about the mall, there is a website www.kadewe.de. Center map, list of stores, schedulestheir work, sales schedule and other useful information can be found on this site.
The most pleasant time for measured shopping in KaDeWe is before lunch on weekdays. Then the shopping center is not yet filled with local buyers, tourists have a chance to calmly make a choice, try on and buy. Without long queues and a very characteristic sale hysteria, which can be briefly described as "With such discounts, you need to take EVERYTHING, otherwise someone else will take it." Such a situation should be avoided and prevented by all means. Set yourself the maximum allowable amount of expenses for a specific shopping, do not buy something that is not quite suitable just because the thing that is really needed was not found. Perhaps, as an additional deterrent, you should take a girlfriend, spouse or mother with you.
Alas, not every young lady has a "vaccine" against shopaholism. Fortunately, many women have learned to disguise this vice as an "innocent weakness." Before plunging into the atmosphere of luxury and shopping happiness with which the KaDeWe store in Berlin is often associated, it may be worth visiting a few other interesting sights of the glorious German capital, watching the natives. Thus, you will have at least some chance to catch the German pragmatism and passion for logic. Not all people can spend several hours in a shopping center without spending all their earnings over the past 200 years. And even those who think that shopping magic is not on themworks, they just don't fully realize how much the magic of a large luxury shopping center influences the minds of buyers. So, it doesn’t hurt to take a piece of the German mentality with you when shopping. And try a sober approach to shopping.
Sales in Berlin
The perfect time for shopping is the discount season. In KaDeWe, as elsewhere in Berlin, the main periods of discounts are December-January and August-September. Most of all, shopping experts advise paying attention to classic or cult items, those that are always in trend, in sales. It can be bags, outerwear, suits, shoes.
For those who soberly and purposefully plan shopping in Berlin, the KaDeWe department store can be the starting point of a spending marathon. But, if you have a little time, you should not end your shopping tour at this department store. The fact is that in Berlin there are also a lot of outlets, where prices are much more pleasant, and shopping is more profitable and reckless. Outlets mainly sell original and high-quality items, but from last year's collections and with very nice discounts. The problem with outlet stores is that they are far from downtown and boutique arteries of the city, so the list of planned purchases must be impressive to compensate for travel expenses and inconvenience. Main outlets: Designer Outlet Berlin, Zalando Outlet, Leiser Fabrikverkauf.
Where to have a good time, eat and relax in a department store
Besides shopping, there are many other ways to spend your time in "KaDeVe". On the ground floor there are many beauty salons, where women's souls are treated not only with a banal massage and manicure. Here you can try unique spa treatments that are available only in the most expensive hotels.
On the fifth floor, not far from the book department, there is a cozy, very stylish reading area (and free of charge).
There are many restaurants and cafes of well-known chains throughout the department store, but the most pretentious restaurant is located on the seventh floor. The establishment is not cheap. A splendid view of the city is probably included in the bill. Also on this floor there is a winter garden and a terrace.
Instead of afterword
KaDeWe in Berlin is one of the main unofficial attractions. It is not strange that many international tourists are eager to visit this pretentious department store. And not always for the purpose of buying something. Such is the paradox of large shopping centers: not every visitor becomes a buyer. This fate cannot be avoided by the Dubai Mall, Harrods in London and even the Russian Central Department Store. The whole point is that eminent shopping centers offer retail space with inflated rents. In addition, in boutiques of luxury brands, prices are already terribly biting.
The only good advice for tourists with average solvency is not to be afraid to visit expensive shopping centers and perceive such trips as visits to museums or exhibitions. This is what millions of tourists do. Moreover, we can safely say thatdepartment store management is absolutely favorable to such visitors. Even those who do not generate income for specific trade pavilions still help maintain the image of the entire department store. Tourists walk there, take pictures, post photos on social networks, tell their friends about the store. This is also a kind of passive advertising. And what a thrill for buyers: to take a walk, stare at the beauty, taste something, try on luxurious shoes, test expensive perfumes, stare at elegant shop windows. And buy a bun and tights. As a result, minimum costs and maximum pleasant experience.
This pastime is not suitable for those individuals who do not always feel comfortable in expensive stores. To avoid an embarrassing situation, it should be understood that the culture of customer service in Germany, especially in KaDeWe, is at a high level. So situations when sellers show a sour face with a dumb question: “So, are we going to buy something?” are extremely rare.
