AMPELMANN Shop Unter den Linden

Flagship Store at the Corner of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstraße

Unter den Linden 35 is located at one of the city’s most photographed intersections, and its location is no coincidence for this store. This is precisely where the first traffic light with the original Ampelmännchen (traffic light figures) stood; here, its developer Karl Peglau saw them glow red and green for the first time. The Ampelmann Shop at this address opened in 2012 and is the largest of the brand’s six Berlin stores. Inside, the figure walks through a recreated wall, the spot where David Hasselhoff also sang. A permanent exhibition displays over thirty traffic lights from around the world, and screens show background information on the history of the East German Ampelmännchen. Coffee is also available. The store is accessible via the U-Bahn station Unter den Linden with lines U5 and U6, directly on the corner; Friedrichstraße station is about four hundred meters away. This makes the store one of the easiest points on this list to find. Anyone walking along Friedrichstraße will practically pass it, which also explains why Berliners stand alongside travelers from all over the world in front of the same shelves here.

Bags, Umbrellas, and Keychains with Bulbous Noses

Behind the figure lies a story that pleasantly enhances the shopping experience. In 1961, traffic psychologist Karl Peglau submitted proposals for new traffic light symbols and deliberately gave the figures bulbous noses, hats, and bellies, believing people are more likely to trust someone they find likable. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, designer Markus Heckhausen personally collected discarded discs from the streets and, together with Peglau, saved them from the shredder. The first products were created in 1996, followed by the company’s founding in 1999. The accessory range at the Ampelmann Shop is accordingly extensive: Corduroy and nylon crossbody bags, fanny packs, foldable shopping bags, and backpack bags, plus umbrellas for adults and children, hats, gloves, baseball caps, socks, and earrings, some in silver. Keychains are available as “walkers” and “standers”. A backpack bag costs 59.95 Euros, a keychain 5.95 Euros. Everything is designed at the creative headquarters in Mitte, and production takes place in Germany, preferably in the East. The company remains owner-managed to this day and employs around one hundred and twenty people, including its own design team. Vouchers are available from 10 Euros.