Andreas Murkudis · Berlin, Germany

Name: Andreas Murkudis
Location: Berlin · Germany
Images: Ana Santl
Words: Charmaine Li

In an unassuming former newspaper building on Potsdamer Straße, you’ll find Andreas Murkudis, also known as AM, a minimal 1000-square meter concept store with 10 meter-high ceilings that carries both internationally recognized brands, such as Maison Margiela and Dries Van Noten, as well as lesser-known names.

Store owner Andreas Murkudis, who has been working in the art scene for nearly 20 years, opened his very first eponymous store in 2003 and has since unveiled a total of six renowned concept stores. He collaborated with architects Gonzalez Haase AAS to renovate a hall in the eponymous retail store and, has expanded the brand by launching AM Möbel + Architektur, a shop also on Potsdamer Straße dedicated to design and furniture. However, Murkudis insists that the vision remains: to create a retail experience that gives visitors enough space to discover new things as well as allow products to breathe.

How do you select the products for your shop?

Andreas Murkudis: There is no special technique or secret behind the way things find their way into my stores. I love traveling and every time I arrive to a new place, I walk through the streets as much as possible—I never take a cab—and keep my eyes wide open. I also read a lot, visit exhibitions and galleries as well as meet people. Through that, I always find things that astonish me.

And what was the idea behind the design and furniture store?

When we opened AM Möbel + Architektur, we had already tried to create a separation between the spaces. We’ve been working with furniture and interior design brands for a long time and thought it was finally time to dedicate a store to them as well as focus on interior architecture.

Why do you think there’s a current rise of concept stores and what would you say differentiates Andreas Murkudis from others?

Andreas Murkudis: You know, I always say that every store is a Concept Store – because everybody has some kind of a concept. But I don’t believe in concepts. It’s not important to me to offer the newest of the new, but rather something in between newer and traditional brands. My focus is on quality and good design, I like to look at the places and circumstances where things come from and how they’re sustainable. This is not Zeitgeist—it has nothing to do with me or my stores. I am not interested in trends, I stay true to the brands I include in our assortment and I want people to be content with what they buy. Continuity, longevity and trust are values that are really important to me.