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Shopping time in Frankfurt With a population of about 650,000, Frankfurt may not rank amongst the largest German cities like Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, but it’s for sure a bustling, multicultural metropolis with all the well-known department stores, international retail chains and famous designer boutiques. Zeil is the name of the popular city center shopping mile. www.zeil-online.de A stroll up and down this very lively pedestrian zone and you’ll find Karstadt and Kaufhof, the large German department stores, as well as a whole variety of clothing stores, perfumeries, record and telecom shops, in fact something for everyone. If you don't mind the drive, the Designer Outlets in Zweibrücken offer a mind-boggling assortment of factory-direct fashion at bargain prices. More bargains at www.dressforless.de If your taste is more exclusive and you also love window shopping, then Goethe Strasse in Frankfurt is the place to go. www.freewheeling.net/eJJC-Frankfurt.htm The finest of fashion designer names like Burberry, Chanel, Escada, Hermès, Jil Sander, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace and others have their beautiful showcases here. And for a little sparkling touch to go with that new outfit, Tiffany’s, Stern and Cartier are there to tempt you! After all, don’t we all like to dream a little along the lines of “Diamonds are a girl's best friend.”?! World famous German specialties include crystal, jewelry, diamonds, chocolates, a huge variety of bread, leather goods etc. German craftsmen create remarkable glassware and crystal. Massive bowls, glasses as well as unique cut-glass vases in colored crystal made by a secret process. Lorey is the shop to know. www.lorey.de Germans love flowers and present them on many occasions. Whether a simple bunch or an elaborate, artistic display, you’ll find a reasonably-priced, plentiful selection at the many flower stalls and creative florists throughout the city and suburbs. But - please remember that red roses are reserved for lovers and that big chrysanthemums and carnations are considered to be for cemeteries and funerals. And another little whim – a bouquet must consist of an ODD number of flowers! Antique dealers in Germany make the country a rich hunting ground for lovers of old furniture and other antiques. But “Antik” means also anything in the range from junk to second hand and minor antiques. And bargaining is completely normal and part of the fun. Go down to the south side of the Mainufer river bank on a Saturday morning, and you’ll discover a lively flea market. A very high quality Antique Fair is held at least twice a year at the Main Taunus Center, Sulzbach shopping mall, usually on a Sunday morning. Look out for dates in the local press or simple roadside posters. The Taunus suburbs of Königstein, Kronberg, Bad Soden and Bad Homburg all have good outdoor flea markets and antique fairs a few times a year. Be sure to get there early. The best stuff is often traded at 7 or 8 am. “Schlußverkauf” means clearance sale, which is held by almost every shop or department store twice a year, in January and July. The extent of the sales is bound by the pretty strict retail trading laws here in Germany. These same laws also tightly regulate the opening hours, and although there has been some relaxation of these very long-standing traditions in the last few years, you’ll no doubt find shopping times to be much more restrictive than what you’re used to, especially if you come from the US or the UK. In the city center, department stores are generally open from 10am until 7 or 8pm Monday through Friday, and until 2pm maybe 4pm on a Saturday. On Sundays, the places to go for that forgotten item or a fresh baguette and croissants for breakfast are the gas stations, Frankfurt Main Train Station or Frankfurt Airport. You could well see your friends and neighbors there! The larger supermarket chains are open from around 8am until 8pm on weekdays, but most of the small stores close up by 6.30pm. And they often take a midday break from 1-3pm. You’ll find out by trial and error – be set for a cross-cultural experience! Watch this column for regular input – WOW will keep you up-to-date on shopping news. |
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