Hidden in a Skalitzer courtyard, Motto is a fantastic book store full of singular finds. Their selection is so great because Motto the store was actually born from Motto the distribution company, spreading the catalogues of over 150 publishers to more than 100 stores worldwide. The Kreuzberg Motto store was their first physical branch, opened in 2008 as a bookstore and venue for readings, book exhibitions, and many more events for Berlin’s bibliophiles.
Imagine your favorite book store, what would it look like? Of course it would have the variety, the well selected presentation tables with books you want to read immediately, rows and rows of interesting readables etc. Would it also have comfortable grandma-style chairs? Yes? And even more of that so everyone could start reading new found favorites immediately? Yes? And now imagine it also had a coffee bar with delicious bagels and cakes and other treats to make your stay even better? That would be the best, basically? Shakespear & Sons has all of this, no exaggeration necessary. Welcome to bibliophile’s heaven.
Berlin’s not a city with a big variety of delicatessen food stores. We’ve got random supermarkets and, by now, a good choice of organic stores as well as the food departments of Lafayette and KaDeWe and the occasional Italian food store, but when it comes to independent places featuring a nicely curated selection of high-class products mainly from local producers, only few come in mind. One of them is Goldhahn & Sampson in Prenzlauer Berg.
Although we’re currently living under ice in Berlin with temperatures around zero degrees, this city is blessed with nonstop sunshine and blue sky, rising my anticipation for higher temperatures, blossoming trees and that particular spring scent. In case you don’t yet have the perfect sunglasses for this frenetic, bright sunshine, I strongly suggest to visit Lunettes Selection.
Oh I’m sure you know about Schwarzhogerzeil already, not only because you are a devoted reader of this blog and read about the beautiful store and its equally beautiful owner, Nicole Hogerzeil. But first and foremost because it’s been on Berlin’s fashion scene for quite some time and has built a strong reputation for its selection of international brands.