Berlin is still touted as the artsy capital of cool. In many ways, it merits this distinction, but even though I see and experience lots of amazing things every time I visit, I feel like the city needs more business to move forward. There’s no real industry established here and the city has one of the highest unemployment rates in Germany. From my interactions with lots of locals, I gathered that Berlin is in a sort of wait-and-see pattern. Great place to be if you want to hang out and read at a coffee shop all day; not the best place to be if you’re a creative entrepreneur….

I had a great time exploring the city and marveling at how a big metropolis can be so quiet and relaxing (are you listening, New York?!). Pedestrians and bikers peacefully co-exist with cars and the sidewalk cafe culture is strong, giving the city a lively yet calm vibe. Beach bars and clubs along the river Spree are flourishing, with Club der Visionäre the most famous example, a hipster hangout with a definite laid-back Berlin vibe.

Even retail is taking a cue from the cool, relaxed city vibe; there are tons of tongue-in-cheek manifestations in terms of retail design and branding. My favorite store name has to be this:

The food scene is booming, with amazing ethnic restaurants (somehow, Vietnamese restaurants are a must here!) and I had the meal of a lifetime at Michelin-starred Restaurant Tim Raue, where the food presentation was the work of art:

My favorite art experience was at the Boros Collection, an old East German bunker that hosts the Boros family’s extensive contemporary art collection. The building itself is stunning with a rich history; in addition to a bunker it also served as a banana warehouse (!), sex club and rave club. The evidence of its past is embedded in the walls and the energy of the space:

One of my favorite artists, Olafur Eliasson, who lives and works in Berlin, is represented with many pieces here, including some custom-made installations:

I also enjoyed the lovingly restored Hamburger Bahnhof (an old train station) that hosts a big chunk of the Museum of Contemporary Art. I loved the whimsical installation of Warhol’s Mao portrait; that’s Mao’s caricature in the pattern:

A visit to Berlin could not be complete without a few hours spent gawking at the food hall at KaDeWe, the ginormous Berlin department store! We got lost in the condiment aisles and salivated at the bakery items. German bread is to die for, if you haven’t had the pleasure!

I was also intrigued by the large “frozen dessert” section, with items like frozen cupcakes and macaroons. Delicious!

Overall, the KaDeWe food hall is an amazing food-as-museum experience, but I wonder how comfortable and convenient it is for people to actually go here for daily shopping…

Another interesting food retail experience on the other end of the gourmet spectrum was the “Easy Order” automated ordering system at a busy McDonald’s. I wondered why the fastest of the fast food companies thinks people need an even faster way to order their food, especially in a city as relaxed as Berlin! Is this an effort for uber-convenience, or an early attempt in eliminating staff? 

Having done a few masculinity-themed projects, I’m always on the lookout for interesting expressions of this theme in retail. I was pleasantly surprised by the Spanish chain Bershka’s flagship Berlin store’s attempt to imbue some interactive fun for male shoppers with a centrally-located foosball table:

Another masculinity example was a store called Dudes Factory that specialized in skater lifestyle items, as well as customized “artsy” clothing. Not a very impressive execution, but I did find this display intriguing!

I was surprised to see the philanthropy-oriented Chari-tea and Lemon-aid line sold at tons of places, from casual cafes to upscale galleries. I am still a big fan of their packaging design and I’m glad they’ve managed to carve a niche at least in Berlin:

The food-truck craze is not yet that big in Berlin, but I did spot the most adorable unique manifestation of the trend. This is the Berlin food-truck version of a Efa’s Frozen Yogurt, a venerable Berlin fro-yo shop, packed in an old compact mini-van!

Lastly, a visit to Berlin would not be complete without a tour of its vibrant street art. Enjoy some of my favorite examples: