small big shopping in Cologne

How does a house number become a world brand? We start at the 4711 house on Glockengasse. In 1794, with French troops at the gates, Cologne numbered all its houses, and the Mülhens family's building became No. 4711. In 1875 the number was registered as a trademark. Here you learn how branding was born, long before logos and algorithms. Then we stroll along Breite Straße and Ehrenstraße into the Belgian Quarter. Away from online shopping we discover small and very small specialist shops, many with a fair trade promise: fashion, jewellery, homeware, food, decoration and charming knick-knacks. You touch the fabric, smell the coffee, talk to the people who make or choose what they sell. Quality, advice and a human face: shopping as an experience, not a click. On the way there is time for coffee and cake or a hot chocolate. We pass two real bakeries, Zimmermann and Balkhausen, each with its own bakehouse where you can watch the bakers at work, and a cheese shop. We end at Brüsseler Platz with a glass of wine.

Your Small Big Shopping walk (about 3 hours, times approximate) 1. Meet at the 4711 house, Glockengasse 4 (0:00) 2. 4711 and the birth of branding: house numbers, a trademark from 1875 and a famous bottle (approx. 20 min) 3. Walk along Breite Straße (approx. 20 min) 4. Ehrenstraße: small fashion, jewellery and homeware shops (approx. 40 min) 5. Coffee and cake or hot chocolate (approx. 30 min) 6. Into the Belgian Quarter: tiny specialist shops with a fair trade promise, food, decoration and knick-knacks (approx. 45 min) 7. Past two real bakeries, Zimmermann and Balkhausen, and a cheese shop (approx. 15 min) 8. A glass of wine at Brüsseler Platz (approx. 20 min) Tour ends at Brüsseler Platz.