9 of the old, small and characterful specialty niche stores still surviving in Vienna

What do they sell: lamps, lightbulbs, book shelf holders, fabric cables
Special object we found: they make personalised lamp shades

This small messy lamp shop is packed with a roof full covered in lights. Old school lamp fixtures from the days in which the family business was founded 30 years ago, handcrafted shades made by the owner Lion himself, and fabric cables and accessories to decorate the hundreds of light bulbs lying around in the store. Fink itself looks like a neat freaks biggest nightmare. Lion Fink creates personalised lamp shades too, and welcomes people to bring their own fabrics in to the shop for him to use in the making of their very own lamp.

Plus, another random fact: Fink also sells book shelf holders in the shape of Chinese figures. We have no idea how those ended up there.

What: dolls, stuffed animals
Special item we found: It’s a good life to be a doll at Puppendoktor. Every night the dolls gather together and tell each other stories. We swear we heard them whispering about us while we were there

The Puppendoktor is serious about dolls. While the doctors here don’t treat all patients that come in, only the most beautiful ones are accepted, repaired and resold at the facility. They sell new born dolls and their outfits such as dresses, shoes, sunglasses, alongwith previously loved old dolls that were born in the 1900s and have been carefully restored and brought back to life by the owners of Puppendoktor. The beaming pride of the shop owners for their carefully selected assortment of dolls and teddybears is obvious. The Puppendoktor will also perform surgery on any of your dolls and teddy bears too, fixing eye balls, amputating legs, whatever it requires to save the life of your beloved stuffed or porcelain friend.

What: foam everything
Special item we found: tell Schaumstoffhaus the dimensions of your boat or caravan and they will build entirely new seating for it

Mattresses, pillows, luggage inserts, boats, display settings, window sills, toys – no, we’re not coming up with our next scrabble word, but rather we’re listing off the various things you may need foam for. Bet you’ve never thought of that! Schaumstoffhaus has opened our eyes to about all the many ways foam cushions our buttocks.

What: Umbrella store
Special: You can have your precious umbrella repaired!
Since: 1910

The fact that a store can survive alone on selling only umbrellas still astounds us. For more than 100 years, this shop has selling and repairing umbrellas in all kinds of colours and fabrics. While they also sell rainwear and gloves by quality brands ( you should check out those beautiful Austrian artisan pieces) umbrellas is their business. And while you can buy an umbrella now for as low as 5€, if we’re really into this sustainable lifestyle that we all should adopt, buying a quality umbrella and keeping it for life is not such a crazy idea. Here you’ll also find heart-warmingly friendly and personalised costumer service – also in English, just like in the olden days. And you’ll also probably learn a thing or 2 about this seemingly ordinary object that may make you see it in a different way.
If you’re in need of a rain cape, a bike poncho, an umbrella for your kid, or an umbrella/walking cane, this is the perfect place to find it!

Quote from the staff: “After their third cheap umbrella breaks, people want something proper again – that’s why they come to us.”

What: knives, scissors, steelware
Special: professional grinding service!
Since: 1898 (4th generation)

Solinger Stahlwaren is a specialty shop selling high quality cutlery and other utensils that exists since 1898. In the age of furniture giants like IKEA, the fact that such a place exists gives a warm fuzzy feeling of hope that the world is not just disposing of the small and less powerful. Here you’ll kitchen knives, small manicure scissors, razors, as well as fitting cases, bags and other accessories. But if you’re more into the crazy rare stuff, enjoy being taken into the world of hand-forged damask steel cooking knives, 15-inch dress-making scissors, or handmade razors!

Plus: He also takes special orders!

Quote: “My clients? All of them awesome people!” (“Nur leiwande Leut’”)

What: Gilder, restoration and gold plating of almost anything
Special: The gilding workshop is integrated into the shop, so you can walk by and watch Andreas Buhr at work!
Since: 1898 (3rd generation)

If you love gold and glittery things, stop by at the gilder Andreas Buhr on Neustiftgasse. While here we thought – what a romantic job, turning things to gold. Andreas not only restores antique furniture pieces or mirrors, but also, using various handicraft techniques, applies gold onto all kinds of things – like pencils, bones or gallstones (we’re not kidding!). The list of things and possibilities seems rather endless – Andreas will transform almost anything you own into a golden, precious thing! Andreas Buhr and his wife Christine Dosch also have a gold-design label called Goldlieb, combining gilding with modern design into objects they also sell at the store.

Quote: “I really enjoy creating beautiful items out of old and worn things, all by hand.”

What: buttons and other sewing and fabric accessories
Since: 1844

Buttons are everywhere, but have you ever wondered where they come from, where they live? Once place is Zum Alten Knopfkönig. If you need to find that one special button for your favourite jacket that you lost ages ago, you can rummage (or ask) your way through the bountiful assortment of buttons at the Frimmel’s shop on Wiedner Hauptstraße. The shop was born in 1844, but was taken over a few years back. It houses all the kinds of sewing accessories and small bits and pieces somebody who makes their own clothes would need. These places survive because they’re specialised and will have that rare coloured button that the big chain stores won’t. Plus, you’ll also get a great deal of help and assistance in finding that special button your looking for.

Quote: “Everyone has one of those cardigans that need a fancy safety pin – we have a good selection of exceptional pieces for you.”

What: model trains – new and used
Special item we found: model German houses
Since: around 1990

Trains, trains and more trains – lined up on shelves surrounding the store in a neat way that only a person with a love for every last one could manage. Tucked away just off of Neubaugasse is this very special store. Tiny model houses, model tracks, and of course, thousands of second hand model trains, the Modelleisenbahnen Second Hand is where people with an imagination, and that like to build their own little cities or towns come to play. As to be expected, model trains have been a passion of the owner since his childhood, and its obvious by the store that the passion still lives on just as strong today.

What: hats, scarves, gloves
Special item we found: a vast array of flat caps
Since: 1873

If you’re harbouring a hat fetish like we do, you’re going to have to hold yourself back from running around and frantically trying on all the different kinds of hats on at Maurer Hats upon entering the store. A old world charm lives here, with a magnificent chandelier hanging in the middle and a warm mannered owner who greets you when you enter the small store. The variety of headwear at Maurer will keep you here for a while, choosing between the wacky bright orange porkpie, the classy grey fedora, or the vast array of the newsboy caps. While we were there, we enjoyed watching a group of middle aged Germans running between the shelves of beautiful ladies hats and the mirror – some shops are more than just a place to buy something, they’re an experience.