The Kiosk

In most significant German cities and towns....there are kiosks.   The basic description is a corner shop with a window....that sells candy, smokes, newspapers, sodas, beer, and snacks.

It is a German tradition that is slowly but surely dying off.  It might take another fifty years, but eventually, I doubt if any survive.

If you were to sit around on a corner and observe....what you tend to see is one or two folks stopping by and buying a newspaper....then standing there to talk for ten minutes with the kiosk operator.  Then they walk away.  To some degree, it's like a corner bar, where you stand to talk worldly topics with the bartender.

Most open around 6AM and close around 9PM.  It's long hours, and I doubt if any of the owners take home more than a thousand Euro a month after expenses are figured up.

For the old guys who hide out in the city park on a hot afternoon....a kiosk is absolutely necessary.  You stop by...pick up a chilled beer, and sit there on a bench in the park to admire nature.  You do this probably 365 days out of the year, and it becomes a part of your routine.