All of Germany, it seems, is staying up late for the World Cup -- including the shops.

Instead of a post-work rush through the aisles, Germans -- and millions of visitors with euros to spare -- can browse the shelves and chat with clerks regardless of dusk's dimming light. In a country where many shops close by 6 p.m. and don't open at all on Sundays, the soccer tournament offers an excuse to relax rigid laws dictating store hours.


"I can take my time to do my shopping," said Ina Andrees, who was shopping at Potsdamer Arkaden in Berlin late Wednesday night. "The sales people here have a lot of time to wait on me."

German law allows shops to be open only from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, nearly everything is closed except for some restaurants and snack kiosks.

During the World Cup, some stores are staying open late, some are not, and regulations vary from region to region. Most stores are still closed by 10 p.m., though a Wal-Mart in Wiesbaden is staying open 24 hours a day.

Some politicians and industry groups have been pushing to make the change permanent, arguing extra hours would give the economy a boost. But some employee groups have been resisting, anxious to protect the cherished personal time and freedom that comes with getting home, in most cases, by 7 p.m. on weekdays and having to work only four to six hours on Saturdays.

Germans are accustomed to the hours and have learned to adapt. But in a world where globalization is not just a rallying cry but a reality, it's time to rethink the rules, said Harry Bird, a 35-year-old financial trader originally from France.

"When I was in the (United) States and I needed something, it was very, very cool to be able go and get it," he said, "no matter how late it was."

Page:

1

2