TK Maxx

TK Maxx at Alea 101: 4,000 Square Meters of Brand-Name Goods at Alexanderplatz

TK Maxx is located in the Alea 101 building at Gontardstraße 10, right on Alexanderplatz and at the foot of the TV Tower. Connectivity could hardly be closer: the tram stop is about 18 meters from the door, and Alexanderplatz station with S-Bahn, U2, U5, and U8 is about 60 meters away. Approximately 4,000 square meters are dedicated to fashion for women, men, and children, shoes, bags, sports and outdoor items, cosmetics, household goods, and gift items. According to the company, prices are up to 60 percent below the manufacturers’ recommended retail price, with premium pieces sold under the Gold Label. Because goods change weekly and are sorted by size rather than brand, shopping here is more of a treasure hunt than a targeted pick from the shelf. Within the building, sales areas are spread across several levels, with escalators leading from the ground floor upwards and to the basement.

From Germany’s First C&A Department Store to its Largest TK Maxx

The store opened in August 2014 and was then the company’s largest in Germany. The location has history: the country’s first C&A department store opened at this exact spot in 1911, and the building name Alea refers to this. The current building was designed by the Berlin office Sauerbruch Hutton, consists of three staggered structures, is almost 30 meters high, and holds a preliminary Gold certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council. Offices and rental apartments are located above the sales areas, and on the ground floor, several tenants share the facade facing the square. Those arriving by car are best advised to park in the Rathauspassagen parking garage, about 220 meters away, which has 600 spaces, or in the significantly larger underground garage of the neighboring shopping center. Busy weekends are the norm at Alexanderplatz; a visit to TK Maxx is more relaxed on weekday mornings. This makes the store one of the few addresses in Mitte where brand-name goods are permanently reduced, and not just during sale periods.