Shopping in Lodz

Shopping in Łódź centres on three main areas of the city: the thoroughfare of Piotrkowska, the modern shopping centre Galeria Łódzka, and the shopping heaven that is the Manufaktura complex. Some of the streets running parallel to Piotrkowska, including ul. Sienkiewicza, are good for specialist shops, such as antiques and paintings. Indeed, whisper it in Warsaw, but Łódź may in fact be Poland’s top shopping destination. Whether it’s malls, designer boutiques, dusty family stores or antique markets a day spent shopping can result in both bargains and treasures, and there’s presents to be had for everyone on your list (including yourself).

Wife or girlfriend
When we think of what the ladies would like, one word comes to mind: amber. Poland is well known as the best place to find handsomely shaped fossilised resin, and you can easily nab a piece that will please at A&A Dom Jubilerski or famed Polish jeweller W. Kruk.

Husband or boyfriend
One word: beer. Another word: lard. Take home some Polish brews and a container of smalec (spreadable lard) and you’ll make any man happy. Krakowski Kredenscarries tubs of the greasy stuff, while you’ll find every obscure Polish microbrew at Piwoteka, a tiny store just off Piotrkowska that is floor-to-ceiling bottles.

Brother
Euro 2012 fever has gripped Poland, and Intersport at Manufakturais the official shop for licensed Euro 2012 apparel. Grab your brother an array of t-shirts and sweatshirts bearing the colourful Euro 2012 insignia and he’ll feel like his sporting best.

Sister
While it might not be as synonymous with European fashion as cities like Paris and Milan, Lodz is the home of Polish Fashion Week and a hotbed of all things stylish. Bring sis home something fashion-forward from Manufaktura, the city’s 90,000m2 shopping mall that houses more than 300 stores, including several Polish fashion brands to scour for stylish treats such as Reserved.

Child
Lodz is the home of the country’s famed film school, and it’s a great place to snap up some classic Polish DVDs of old-school cartoons like Reksio and Bolek i Lolek. Both cartoons were created during PRL times and contain no dialogue, which means kids from any culture will easily be able to follow the storylines. Find stacks of DVDs at the local Empik.

Mom
Give mom some monk-like zen with soaps and lotions from Produkty Benedyktyńskie, which carries a variety of products created by the brothers at Tyniec Abbey in Krakow.

Dad
If your dad is anything like ours he can lose hours of his life in interesting vintage bookshops. Lodz is packed with them, and Antykwariat Komiks is one of the best for digging.