Socialist Germany was one of the last countries in the world to use steam engines. Yet the old locomotives were rapidly sidelined after the fall of the Wall in 1989 and have now been entirely replaced by modern diesel trains. This is just a part of Germany's 170-year-long railroad history. If you want to find out more, Lokomotive Fachbuchhandlung is the place to come. Founded five years ago by a railway enthusiast, this specialist bookshop sells books, videos, CD Roms, posters and magazines about trains and railways. Please check out the website for more details.
The strangest things often become collectors items and pretty much anything can be collected. This store is entirely devoted to the collectors of this world, offering an assortment of useless items like airline badges and beer mats or more useful items such as glasses and egg cups. Some things were consciously designed to be collected, such as the collection of miniature shoes known as Just the right shoe and porcelain teddy bears known as the Cherished Teddies. Naturally, the latest cult objects are represented here too; Pokémon figures and Kinder egg miniatures.
Bless is a shop that offers a unique and imaginative style. The prices can be expensive, but remember you're purchasing high quality. Along with clothing, you can find unique accessories, such as fingerless gloves. The collection varies and you'll never know what you'll find.
Give an oriental touch to your home with tasteful articles from Enishi, a store that stocks Japanese antiques. As you enter the store, you will feel like you're in a Japanese household, with everything displayed from glass and porcelain crockery, to wooden furniture and bags with Japanese motifs as well as a few traditional clothing items. The owner Maki Kawatsura has been living in Berlin since the last decade or so, and painstakingly updates the collection from time to time. Japanese artists residing in Berlin also have the chance to display their artworks at the store. The in-house cafe serves a mix of German coffees and Japanese teas.
o21 Schöne Schuhe is a shoe boutique that stocks some of the most stylish designs that will make women go weak at the knees. Different collections such as FLY Summer Collection, Cafe Noir, KMB Winter Collection and Felmini are stocked here, consisting of an eclectic mix of dainty Mary Jane style shoes, classic pumps and ballerina flats to grungy ankle and knee length boots. The collection here is limited and gets sold out pretty quickly, so make sure you arrive early in the season.