Shopping at KaDeWe in Berlin
Almost every major city in the world seems to have a favorite department store, a large upscale retail complex that appeals to both locals and tourists alike. For New York City its Barney′s, for Paris it′s the Lafeyette Galleries, and in Berlin it′s the Kaufhaus des Westens (also known as KaDeWe by locals). The name actually means Department Store of the West. It’s been a significant part of Germany′s culture.
It was founded in 1907 by a man named Adolf Jandorf. KaDeWe started out small, but over the decades it expanded thanks to various store owners who helped take this store from a small dream to a symbol of Germany′s long battle for freedom. The mission of this department store always has been to deliver the finest goods from around the world, and that mission hasn′t changed to this day.
Today KaDeWe is the second largest department store in Europe, which is no wonder because the Berlin location has seven floors of merchandise, services, food, and more. At roughly 60,000 square feet of shopping paradise, most floors are dedicated to a department such as women′s apparel and accessories (third floor) or salon services (first floor).A The last two floors are mostly restaurants: the sixth floor is virtually a gourmet food court and grocery store, while the seventh floor features aA restaurant inside a scenic winter garden that looks out to some incredible views of the city.
Some of the store′s best departments (or mini shops if you will) include the Idee Shop which sells a variety of unique jewelry, stationary, home dAİcor, and more. Another must-see is Luxusboulevard (Luxury Boulevard), which really is just a high end accessory shop. While most of us cannot afford what is sold there, it’s still a lot of fun to daydream about Dior, Chanel, and Chloe.
No matter the reason for your trip to Berlin (shopping or otherwise), you most definitely will want to spend an entire day in Kaufhaus des Westens, even if it’s just to browse.
