Interlaken - Shopping - General

General Shopping
It’s just as well that all the cuckoo clocks in the host of souvenir shops aren’t working. Otherwise the streets of Interlaken would resound with loud chirping, ticking and whistles. Fans of knick-knacks and novelties will think they are in seventh heaven.

But the really interesting shops are often tucked away, maybe second right and then sharp left. You’ll find unexpectedly eye-catching clothes, imaginative handicrafts combining old tradition with trendy new design, and a selection of specialities which could only absorb such fine flavours from the bouquet of Alpine pastures.

ZEITZONE 35

Jungfraustrasse 353800 Interlaken Tel. +41 (0)33 823 81 08 www.zeitzone35.ch Martin Brunner, jewellery, objet d’art, furniture, pictures Goldsmith Martin Brunner has set up his studio in a former butcher’s shop. Visitors are instantly captivated by the studio’s unusual artistic ambience. Brunner’s jewellery is in direct contrast to the tiled walls and quirky remains of an old conveyor system. His pieces are traditional yet elegant, ornate yet simple, sensual yet strong. The pieces reflect the individuality of rock walls and mountain summits. Their shapes sense the clear silhouette of a mountain ridge at twilight, follow wild mountain streams, and leap over stones and weathered tree trunks. These are pieces with soul, never to lie forgotten in a drawer - an expression of originality, passion, vitality and vigour.

EXTERN
Jungfraustrasse 35 3800 Interlaken Tel. +41 (0)33 823 81 08 www.extern.ch The other clothes shop The rear of Zeitzone 35 is a paradise for those who love to hunt for bargains and have a flair for eye-catching items. Extern, the «other clothes shop» offers an exciting collection of new, second-hand and self-made articles. Many one-off gems will tempt you to take part in a modern treasure hunt. Grandmother’s curtains have been transformed into fancy trousers, sassy pieces of Alprausch and Nabholz flirt with elegant evening gowns – which can also be hired for that last-minute invitation. You’ll find shoes to match, in a range from exclusively elegant to quietly comfortable. Swimming costumes from the 1960s, chairs and vivid plastic tables from the same era complement the collection. Extern is also a platform for experimental design. You’ll discover exclusive bags and accessories, simply not found anywhere else. Don’t miss making a trial run in the former cold storage rooms of the butcher’s shop – now the warm changing cubicles. And you can count on excellent stylistic advice from Alexandra Rufibach and Esther Infanger.

BLUMENWERKSTATT, Rudolf Haefliger AG Marktplatz 8 3800 Interlaken
Tel. +41 (0)33 823 23 25 www.blumenwerkstatt.ch Nature is lovingly fashioned into floral works of art at the Blumenwerkstatt on Interlaken’s Marktplatz. Imaginative creations combine simple flowers with twigs or bark, decorations play with foliage and feathers, quail’s eggs and willow catkins become an art form. The artists want their creations to be floral, natural and simple. «The nature itself is our most important source of inspiration,» says Rudolf Haefliger. He also pays great attention to where his flowers come from. His roses, for example, come from humanitarian and environmentally-friendly production in Ecuador. The multi-coloured creations are enhanced by a selection of vases, candlesticks and elegant ceramics. Homage to the aesthetics of nature is rounded off with shining garlands of silver thistle and large glass bonbonnières full of fragrant dried flowers.

SCALA GUSTI / SCALA VINI Unionsgasse 1 3800 Interlaken Tel. +41 (0)33 823 00 30 www.scalavini.chInterlaken’s Unionsgasse is the place to encounter the ultimate in European cuisine. At the heart of Pasta Fresca is a range of mouth-watering home-made ravioli with seasonal fillings of lemon, pesto, artichokes or dried tomatoes. Before the premises become a shop every Wednesday, pasta specialist Reto Künzi sets to work with his pasta machine, creating a special selection of pasta for sale and delivery to leading restaurants. The shop opens many other doors for gourmets and wine aficionados. Both Scala Gusti and Scala Vini also offer a select assortment of foodstuffs and fine wines from all over Europe: Steiermark specialities; dark chocolate from Turin; olive oil; Sardinian honey; dessert wine jelly and Cantucci; fine Austrian dessert wines; red wine from their own Italian vineyards and spirits. All in all, an unbending commitment to quality, taste and tradition. True pleasures of the palate!