Our Guide to the Best Stores in Zurich
This piece is part of our GATEZERO hub — a travel-focused content series celebrating GATEZERO, our concept store at Zurich Airport.
While our GATEZERO shop in Zurich Airport is without a doubt our new favorite shopping destination, that doesn’t mean it’s the only place we’d pay a visit to in the Swiss city. Zurich’s got a lot to offer when it comes to dining, sightseeing, and generally having a good time.
The city is known the world over for its history of design and architecture, so it should come as no surprise that the city is replete with a whole slew of cool shops. Whether it's clothes (like vintage denim) or artisanal cheese (yes, cheese) we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite places to shop in Zurich to keep you busy, whatever it is you’re looking for.
GATEZERO
Our first-ever concept store, GATEZERO reimagines the possibilities of airport retail, offering a curated selection of products from some of our favorite brands, exclusive releases, and brand experiences. Just a few of the many brands available are Ambush, Balenciaga, IWC, Jil Sander, and Salomon, so make sure to count in some extra airport time to check out the space.
Address: Zurich Airport, Airside Center, Level 0
DeeCee Style
DeeCee is the opposite of what you’d expect to find in Zurich. Packed ceiling to floor with denim, plaid, and leather, the distinctly un-Swiss store is the place to go for everything Americana. Along with heritage brands like Stone Island, Woolrich, and C.P Company, DeeCee also stocks a range of more contemporary designers. It’s probably the only place in the city where you’ll be able to find up brands like Needles, Neighborhood, and Engineered Garments.
Address: Cadruvi trading AG, Talacker 21, 8001 Zurich
Neumarkt 17
If you’re in Zurich for the weekend, chances are you’re not there to furniture shop. Nevertheless, Neumarkt 17 is still definitely worth a visit. Set in three connected townhouses over four floors, the store is a labyrinth of uniquely designed rooms filled with beautiful modern furniture.
Address: Neumarkt 17, 8001 Zurich
Spotlite by Jelmoli
Jelmoli is Switzerland’s largest premium department store and one of the city’s oldest retail spaces. One of its more recent additions is SPOTLITE, a “shop-in-shop” dedicated to streetwear and sneakers. The 550-square-meter-space was renovated in November and offers over 45 brands including Carhartt WIP, The North Face, New Balance, and ASICS, and it is also the exclusive stockist of AAPE by a Bathing Ape, Futur INC, and Awake NY in the country.
Address: Seidengasse 1, 8001 Zurich
Opia
Opia is all about beautiful design. The concept store offers hand-picked menswear, womenswear, homeware, and beauty products from hard-to-find brands like San Francisco’s based Evan Kinori and Antwerp avant-gardists Jan-Jan Van Essche, alongside household names like Comme des Garçons or Maison Margiela.
Address: Lagerstrasse 72, CH-8004 Zurich
FREITAG
First-timers to Zurich shouldn’t leave without stopping by FREITAG’s flagship store. The brand’s recycled tarpaulin bags are one of Switzerland’s best-known fashion exports and in the flagship, there are close to 1800 unique ones to choose from. Bags aside, the building itself is something to see. Based on FREITAG’s recycling principle, the flagship is built from 19 rusty shipping containers, nine of which are stacked on top of each other to create a 26-meter-high tower with a viewing deck at the top. From there, you can truck-spot on Hardbrücke, the bridge that first inspired the FREITAG brothers to start making bags from used truck tarps almost thirty years ago.
Address: Geroldstrasse 17, CH-8005 Zurich
Titolo
Titolo is your number one stop for everything sneaker-related. Founded in 1996, Titolo now has two stores – one in Zurich and one in Bern – with the widest selection of sneakers you’ll find in town and impressive apparel and accessories offerings from brands including Daily Paper, Parra, and Polo Ralph Lauren.
Address: Niederdorfstrasse 10, 8001 Zurich
enSoie
enSoie is a longstanding pillar in Zurich's fashion scene. In the 1940s, its predecessor, Königsberger, Schimmelburg & Cie, was a sought-after silk producer, supplying customized fabrics to fashion houses such as Dior, Balenciaga, and Balmain. Monique Meier, then a team member, took over the business in 1974 and later renamed it enSoie, which translates to "in silk," and her daughters continue to run the store today. Pass by for its carefully selected collection of fabrics, ceramics, clothing, and jewelry.
Address: Strehlgasse 26, 8001 Zurich
Welschland
Last but not least, no trip to Switzerland would be complete without eating your weight in cheese, and there is no better place for it than Welschland. Specializing in produce from Romandie, the French-speaking region to the West of Switzerland, this popular delicatessen offers cheeses, saucissons, fresh bread, wines, absinth among other regional products and snacks. If you have access to a fondue machine where you’re staying, make sure to try the fondue. Aptly called "La Religieuse", customers travel from far and wide for the shop’s signature blend of three Gruyère and eight Vacherin cheese varieties. Bon appétit.
Address: Zweierstrasse 56, 8004 Zurich
Learn more about our airport store on our online hub for all things GATEZERO.
