Good selection of unusual candles and other small items, at friendly prices. English is spoken. Two…read moreblocks from Marktplatz. Much more interesting than the big chain candle stores.

It was fun to visit here since we were staying nearby. It's everything you expect in an IKEA and…read moremore. We found this one a bit cleaner and more room to walk and stand. We had dinner here. And it had IKEA branded beer. No, you don't have to brew the barley yourself. :) For less than 3 Swiss Francs, it's a good beer. The food was good too with big portions from the cafeteria style hot and cold bars. Staying at the Marriott? Have a walk over and enjoy a beer! You might leave with a souvenir too. See website for location and directions.

Typical Ikea. You've seen one, you've seen them all. The restaurant is surprisingly decent. They…read moreeven have their own beer.

Great NEW grocery store! Globus department store has levels for clothes, travel, Christmas. The…read morestaff is fantastic! Very expensive Swiss + Italian goods, foods, clothes! Review: 5+

Globus is a high-end department store with two levels of gourmet grocery. It reminds of the Food…read moreEmporium in New York. I sampled the tart and sweet red currants, and HKB bought a selection of chocolates here the last time he visited Basel. There is a bistro on the fourth floor and a self-serve cafeteria on the fifth floor.

About 20 minutes from Basel by tram and bus, across the border into Germany, Vitra is a museum to…read moredesign and furniture. And it's a massive retail shop. It's well worth the trip to see a bit into chairs that you'd never actually sit in and stuff you'd never actually have in your home. Yet some people actually buy this stuff. Several videos and movies (in Italian without subtitles) explain the history of the designers and architecture. The museum is only 8 CHF. I've been here once, should I return to Basel I would skip coming back. It's a one-time thing. They have a cafe on site which accepts Euros and credit cards.

We biked in from Basel. The ride was worth it…read more The Vitra Design Museum was indeed impressive. The coat racks at the front are of course a row of Eames Hang-It-All. It was interesting to see advertisements for furniture in their envisioned habitat along with the pieces themselves. Several tours (including English) show visitors the campus daily. Next to the museum is the Vitra Haus; an enormous retail floor wrapped in an impressive building. There is also a delicious and reasonably priced cafe on the patio. If you enjoy modern furniture and are in the neighborhood - drop by!

Loved the huge St. Bernard and oversized Swiss Army knife in the window display. Fun to go window…read moreshopping while the city is still sleeping!

Love love love!!! This is one of the sweetest Christmas stores around. We found the perfect…read moreChristmas ornament for our stay in Basel, a glass blown suitcase with symbols of Switzerland and Basel on it. Of course we couldn't stop at one ornament but an so happy we found this store.

I'll begin with full disclosure: I live about two blocks from the Zürcher Living Room. So color…read moreme spoiled! The Basler Living Room is as eye-catching and inviting as the Zürcher branch, if however, a bit cramped, and also boasts a super selection of gift ideas and plain ole pretty-yet-useful items for the home. For those of you hailing from No. America, a small selection of Dr. Bronner's soap and body lotion is available at Basler LR. I hadn't thought that Dr. Bronner's could be had in CH, so the sight of it here makes me pretty happy. I was also taken by the Frieda Kahlo-inspired jewelry assortment, nicely-scented European soap bars and brightly colored ceramic-ware from Italy sold at both shops, from what I recall. Both tourists in the Spalentor area and city dwellers alike might well enjoy a look-see in this cosy-n-cute shop. Zürcher sister store: http://www.yelp.com/biz/living-room-z%C3%BCrich

Great medium size book shop. It is located behind the notorious Spalentor. Ganzoni mostly sells a…read morevariety of novellas, kids' books, cooking and a nice section on architecture, art, travel and local Basel history. Very friendly staff! Review: 5

I loved visiting this place when I lived in CH. Not only did Hiob always seem to have something I…read morewanted to buy from furniture to dishware, and from postcards to art, the prices were so decently reasonable as to make me part with my francs for a bag full of plenty pretty much each & every visit. The women who work the register are friendly & efficient. Occasionally, they'd round down the total for no other reason than that they felt like it. I always found that an unexpectedly nice touch. If you're looking for 20th century art, furniture, household goods, books, textiles & more, then do visit Hiob. It will be worth your while. Trust me.