Hello everyone,
These are my experiences hunting for SteelBooks in countries other than my own. I invite you to share yours ...
Germany
Germany is a haven for Steelbook collectors. The two biggest SB retailers in the country are Media Markt and Saturn. They are everywhere and they are both awesome stores for SteelBook fans.
While the stores are plentiful and stock is generally good to excellent within them, the shops are typically closed on Sundays, so get your SB fix in Monday through Saturday.
Media Markt
If you live in the US and shop at Best Buy you will feel right at home here. I shopped at a Media Markt at Alexander Platz in Berlin, which was a huge, multi-level shop, and another somehwere else in Berlin which was a bit smaller.
Media Markt's selection of Steelbooks was jaw-dropping and their prices were slightly lower than Saturn's. However, I found it odd that pricing did vary between the two Media Mark't I visited.
They also had an impressive selection of Blu-ray box sets including Aliens face hugger, Expendables, etc.
Also of note, if you want a bag with your purchase you will have to ask and pay for one (10 cents I think).
Cash and Credit/ Debit accepted.
Saturn
Like Media Markt, Saturn is a huge chain of shops in Germany and felt very similar to Best Buy. The shop in Alexander Platz in Berlin was gigantic with five stories of goods. I also visited a Saturn at the main train station in Hamburg.
Both Saturn's selection of Steelbooks was awesome. Berlin's had a huge rack of Despicable Me's when I visited while Hamburg's shop only had two left, both of which had torn wrapping.
Both shops also had an impressive selection of QuerSteelBooks, and pretty much all the Steels I saw there were in excellent condition.
Their prices were a little higher than Media Markt's, however.
They accepted cash and credit/ debit. Bags were free.
The Netherlands
What can I say about The Netherlands? There is obviously so much more there than just prostitutes and weed; like meuseums, great food, and SteelBooks!
After you have visited the Van Gough museum, strolled through the Red Light District, and eaten all the herring you can handle, go down to Kalverstraat and have take a walk through the pedestrian only street which is filled with shops, eateries, and a few great Steelbook shops.
Free Record Shop
I visited three FRS stores in Amsterdam, all of which were tiny when compared to Saturn and Media Markt. None of the FRS shops had many Steels as I only saw Gladiator at one of the shops and maybe two others at the other two shops.
Oddly, they do not leave their inventory on their shelves but rather leave empty cases. As such, I thought they were a used shop at first, but I quickly realized they did this for security reasons.
I had high hopes for FRS but found their stores to be tiny and unspectacular and thier selection to be thin at best.
Edit: Upon further inspection of an FRS store in Noord Amsterdam it looks like the open boxes are sold like that. You bring the Blu-ray case to the counter and they pull the disc from a generic sleeve from behind the counter. This goes for Steelbooks, as well. As such I would avoid going to FRS in Holland and visit Fame and Media Markt instead. Locals with greater insight, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
Fame Music Kalverstraat 2-4 1012 PC Amsterdam
Having never heard of this shop before I was quite surpised to see it in between the two FRS locations in Amsterdam.
Fame had a decent selection of Steelbooks, including Robin Hood and Terminator Salvation. The store was large and had more DVDs than Blu-rays, but it was nice to see the aforementioned Steels in stock.
This was a surprise hit for me so def check it out as you stroll the streets of Amsterdam.
They also had a good selection of DVD box sets. They take cash and credit.
Media Markt Buikslotermeerplein 226 1025 GA Amsterdam
This MM shop in Noord Amsterdam was an easy 15 minute bus ride from Amsterdam Centraal on the 33 line, followed by a five minute walk through suburban Amsterdam.
This shop was medium sized as it had only two floors but was situated in a nice outdoor mall, so grabbing a snack after the short walk from the bus stop to the store was nice.
The store itself had a small section of Blu-rays as most of the movies were DVDs. The Media Markts in Germany had far more Blu-rays, so perhaps The Netherlands is not quite as caught up with Hi Def as their German neighbors?
Their Steelbook selection was equally as small as they only had two copies of Robin Hood (EN), one copy of Red Cliff, and one beat up copy of Total Recall (NL).
Boxed sets for Blu-rays was limited but they had tons of sets for DVDs.
I would say this store is probably hit or miss and it might be worth the time to head over to the Media Markt next to the Arena, which is about 8 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam Centraal, although I didn't have time to visit that store myself.
Belgium
For those not familiar with Belgium, the country has two predominant cultures and languages; French and Dutch. As such, their shops carry Steelbooks from both France and The Netherlands. While this dichotomy in culture has caused its share of disruptions in the nation's history, it certainly is a boon to SteelBook hunters.
The bottom line is, Belgium is worth visiting if you are hunting for SteelBooks. And the food, beer, and overall atmosphere of the country is pretty awesome, too.
However, most stores are closed on Sundays and also close early at 7pm on Saturday, so get your SB shopping in M-F and early on Saturday.
Media Markt Rue Neuve 111, 1000 Brussels
Located on the top floor of a department store, which I found quite annoying having to wade through the perfume and jewelry section to get there, this Media Markt had a healthy stock of Steelbooks. However, as someone who live in Region A, this store was somewhat disappointing as all of their Steelbooks in stock were region B locked.
Having said that, they had numerous copies of Resident Evil Afterlife 3D (FR), Expendables (FR), and many others.
The Blu-ray section in this shop was comparably smaller than their DVD section, but the BD selection was impressive nonetheless. They also had many Blu-ray Essentials in the plastic slipcovers in stock.
If you live in Region B or don't mind buying Region B Steels even if you live in Regions A or C then this shop is definitely worth a visit. If buying Region B steels is a turn off for you, then visiting FNAC (see below), which is just down the street, might be a better use of your time.
FNAC Rue Neuve 123, 1000 Bruxelles
This shop is awesome. Period. If you live in Brussels or are in town visiting then do yourself a favor and visit this FNAC store ASAP!
The shop is located on the top floor of the City 2 mall and is located just south of the Noord Station, so it is very easy to get to. Go there, buy some Steelbooks, and then go down Rue Neuve and get a delicious waffle on your way to Media Markt.
Inside the shop there was a small but well stocked nook dedicated to Blu-rays which was divided into two sections; one for French BDs and one for Dutch BDs. I thought this was a great way to organize things, although it was confusing at first when I saw the same titles in two locations (then I read the signage).
Their stock of Steelbooks was very impressive, although some were not in mint condition. They had tons of Expendables (FR) and Resident Evil Afterlife 3D (FR) in stock as well as Total Recall (FR) and a bunch of other titles.
They even had a copy of Kick Ass (NL), but it had a scratch in the corner so I passed. They also had one copy of Shutter Island (FR) which had a tear in the plastic but no visible dents, dings, or shelf wear in the Steelbook, so I picked it up.
Also in stock were a half dozen to a dozen different Metal Packs including Defiance (which I bought), Kill Bill Vol. 2, The Golden Compass, and others.
I ended up buying Green Zone (FR), Shutter Island (FR), and Defiance (FR Metal Pack) and was super happy I visited this store. Overall this was a must visit for any SteelBook fan.
They accept cash, credit, and debit, and offer canvas carrying bags for 1 Euro (plastic bags are free).
England
As you probably already know, England puts out a lot of great SteelBooks. The question is not, "do they have them", but rather, "where to find them" ...
HMV Bayswater, Unit G, Whiteleys Shopping Centre, Greater London W2 4YN, United Kingdom
After arriving at Heathrow and checking into my nearby hotel I decided to take the Heathrow Express into London for a bit of SteelBook hunting.
The Heathrow Express takes you non-stop to Paddington station, which is situated a short distance from several HMVs. HMV Oxford Circus is about one mile East while HMV Bayswater is about a half mile West of the station.
Unfortunately, I chose the latter.
HMV Bayswater is located upstaris in a mall and was a very small store. Their Blu-ray section was equally as small, although they did carry a few SteelBooks (Robin Hood, Green Hornet, Expendables, Karate Kid, etc.).
Unfortunately, though, all of their Steelbooks were wrapped in some sort of extraneous tape/ security device. If you're the type of collector who doesn't want to open your SteelBooks and wants the wrapping to be minty fresh, this is not the store for you.
I did not make any purchases at HMV Bayswater.
Later on in my journey through England I was told by a local that HMV Oxford Circus is the largest HMV in the country, so I would advise heading over there next time you are in London.
HMV London Heathrow International Airport, Terminal 1
After spending a week in England on business and not having a chance to shop for SteelBooks since my failed attempt in London, I was discouraged that my last attempt would be at an HMV at the airport.
Wow, was I wrong!
The HMV in Terminal 1 (there are HMVs in every terminal except T2, IIRC) was more than a pleasant surprise. It was completely awesome!
This HMV was an extremely small store that felt more like a kiosk, but their selection was actually very good. The SteelBooks they had in stock were Green Hornet, Machete, Karate Kid, Robin Hood, and a few others which I don't recall.
And the Steels were all minty fresh with no extraneous wrapping or security device taped to them.
And best of all the prices excluded VAT since it was the international terminal. I ended up picking up Green Hornet, Machete, and Evil Dead with slipcover.
Overall, this was a very nice find and I'd recommend checking out the HMVs in Heathrow's terminals if you can.
These are my experiences hunting for SteelBooks in countries other than my own. I invite you to share yours ...
Germany
Germany is a haven for Steelbook collectors. The two biggest SB retailers in the country are Media Markt and Saturn. They are everywhere and they are both awesome stores for SteelBook fans.
While the stores are plentiful and stock is generally good to excellent within them, the shops are typically closed on Sundays, so get your SB fix in Monday through Saturday.
Media Markt
If you live in the US and shop at Best Buy you will feel right at home here. I shopped at a Media Markt at Alexander Platz in Berlin, which was a huge, multi-level shop, and another somehwere else in Berlin which was a bit smaller.
Media Markt's selection of Steelbooks was jaw-dropping and their prices were slightly lower than Saturn's. However, I found it odd that pricing did vary between the two Media Mark't I visited.
They also had an impressive selection of Blu-ray box sets including Aliens face hugger, Expendables, etc.
Also of note, if you want a bag with your purchase you will have to ask and pay for one (10 cents I think).
Cash and Credit/ Debit accepted.
Saturn
Like Media Markt, Saturn is a huge chain of shops in Germany and felt very similar to Best Buy. The shop in Alexander Platz in Berlin was gigantic with five stories of goods. I also visited a Saturn at the main train station in Hamburg.
Both Saturn's selection of Steelbooks was awesome. Berlin's had a huge rack of Despicable Me's when I visited while Hamburg's shop only had two left, both of which had torn wrapping.
Both shops also had an impressive selection of QuerSteelBooks, and pretty much all the Steels I saw there were in excellent condition.
Their prices were a little higher than Media Markt's, however.
They accepted cash and credit/ debit. Bags were free.
The Netherlands
What can I say about The Netherlands? There is obviously so much more there than just prostitutes and weed; like meuseums, great food, and SteelBooks!
After you have visited the Van Gough museum, strolled through the Red Light District, and eaten all the herring you can handle, go down to Kalverstraat and have take a walk through the pedestrian only street which is filled with shops, eateries, and a few great Steelbook shops.
Free Record Shop
I visited three FRS stores in Amsterdam, all of which were tiny when compared to Saturn and Media Markt. None of the FRS shops had many Steels as I only saw Gladiator at one of the shops and maybe two others at the other two shops.
Oddly, they do not leave their inventory on their shelves but rather leave empty cases. As such, I thought they were a used shop at first, but I quickly realized they did this for security reasons.
I had high hopes for FRS but found their stores to be tiny and unspectacular and thier selection to be thin at best.
Edit: Upon further inspection of an FRS store in Noord Amsterdam it looks like the open boxes are sold like that. You bring the Blu-ray case to the counter and they pull the disc from a generic sleeve from behind the counter. This goes for Steelbooks, as well. As such I would avoid going to FRS in Holland and visit Fame and Media Markt instead. Locals with greater insight, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
Fame Music Kalverstraat 2-4 1012 PC Amsterdam
Having never heard of this shop before I was quite surpised to see it in between the two FRS locations in Amsterdam.
Fame had a decent selection of Steelbooks, including Robin Hood and Terminator Salvation. The store was large and had more DVDs than Blu-rays, but it was nice to see the aforementioned Steels in stock.
This was a surprise hit for me so def check it out as you stroll the streets of Amsterdam.
They also had a good selection of DVD box sets. They take cash and credit.
Media Markt Buikslotermeerplein 226 1025 GA Amsterdam
This MM shop in Noord Amsterdam was an easy 15 minute bus ride from Amsterdam Centraal on the 33 line, followed by a five minute walk through suburban Amsterdam.
This shop was medium sized as it had only two floors but was situated in a nice outdoor mall, so grabbing a snack after the short walk from the bus stop to the store was nice.
The store itself had a small section of Blu-rays as most of the movies were DVDs. The Media Markts in Germany had far more Blu-rays, so perhaps The Netherlands is not quite as caught up with Hi Def as their German neighbors?
Their Steelbook selection was equally as small as they only had two copies of Robin Hood (EN), one copy of Red Cliff, and one beat up copy of Total Recall (NL).
Boxed sets for Blu-rays was limited but they had tons of sets for DVDs.
I would say this store is probably hit or miss and it might be worth the time to head over to the Media Markt next to the Arena, which is about 8 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam Centraal, although I didn't have time to visit that store myself.
Belgium
For those not familiar with Belgium, the country has two predominant cultures and languages; French and Dutch. As such, their shops carry Steelbooks from both France and The Netherlands. While this dichotomy in culture has caused its share of disruptions in the nation's history, it certainly is a boon to SteelBook hunters.
The bottom line is, Belgium is worth visiting if you are hunting for SteelBooks. And the food, beer, and overall atmosphere of the country is pretty awesome, too.
However, most stores are closed on Sundays and also close early at 7pm on Saturday, so get your SB shopping in M-F and early on Saturday.
Media Markt Rue Neuve 111, 1000 Brussels
Located on the top floor of a department store, which I found quite annoying having to wade through the perfume and jewelry section to get there, this Media Markt had a healthy stock of Steelbooks. However, as someone who live in Region A, this store was somewhat disappointing as all of their Steelbooks in stock were region B locked.
Having said that, they had numerous copies of Resident Evil Afterlife 3D (FR), Expendables (FR), and many others.
The Blu-ray section in this shop was comparably smaller than their DVD section, but the BD selection was impressive nonetheless. They also had many Blu-ray Essentials in the plastic slipcovers in stock.
If you live in Region B or don't mind buying Region B Steels even if you live in Regions A or C then this shop is definitely worth a visit. If buying Region B steels is a turn off for you, then visiting FNAC (see below), which is just down the street, might be a better use of your time.
FNAC Rue Neuve 123, 1000 Bruxelles
This shop is awesome. Period. If you live in Brussels or are in town visiting then do yourself a favor and visit this FNAC store ASAP!
The shop is located on the top floor of the City 2 mall and is located just south of the Noord Station, so it is very easy to get to. Go there, buy some Steelbooks, and then go down Rue Neuve and get a delicious waffle on your way to Media Markt.
Inside the shop there was a small but well stocked nook dedicated to Blu-rays which was divided into two sections; one for French BDs and one for Dutch BDs. I thought this was a great way to organize things, although it was confusing at first when I saw the same titles in two locations (then I read the signage).
Their stock of Steelbooks was very impressive, although some were not in mint condition. They had tons of Expendables (FR) and Resident Evil Afterlife 3D (FR) in stock as well as Total Recall (FR) and a bunch of other titles.
They even had a copy of Kick Ass (NL), but it had a scratch in the corner so I passed. They also had one copy of Shutter Island (FR) which had a tear in the plastic but no visible dents, dings, or shelf wear in the Steelbook, so I picked it up.
Also in stock were a half dozen to a dozen different Metal Packs including Defiance (which I bought), Kill Bill Vol. 2, The Golden Compass, and others.
I ended up buying Green Zone (FR), Shutter Island (FR), and Defiance (FR Metal Pack) and was super happy I visited this store. Overall this was a must visit for any SteelBook fan.
They accept cash, credit, and debit, and offer canvas carrying bags for 1 Euro (plastic bags are free).
England
As you probably already know, England puts out a lot of great SteelBooks. The question is not, "do they have them", but rather, "where to find them" ...
HMV Bayswater, Unit G, Whiteleys Shopping Centre, Greater London W2 4YN, United Kingdom
After arriving at Heathrow and checking into my nearby hotel I decided to take the Heathrow Express into London for a bit of SteelBook hunting.
The Heathrow Express takes you non-stop to Paddington station, which is situated a short distance from several HMVs. HMV Oxford Circus is about one mile East while HMV Bayswater is about a half mile West of the station.
Unfortunately, I chose the latter.
HMV Bayswater is located upstaris in a mall and was a very small store. Their Blu-ray section was equally as small, although they did carry a few SteelBooks (Robin Hood, Green Hornet, Expendables, Karate Kid, etc.).
Unfortunately, though, all of their Steelbooks were wrapped in some sort of extraneous tape/ security device. If you're the type of collector who doesn't want to open your SteelBooks and wants the wrapping to be minty fresh, this is not the store for you.
I did not make any purchases at HMV Bayswater.
Later on in my journey through England I was told by a local that HMV Oxford Circus is the largest HMV in the country, so I would advise heading over there next time you are in London.
HMV London Heathrow International Airport, Terminal 1
After spending a week in England on business and not having a chance to shop for SteelBooks since my failed attempt in London, I was discouraged that my last attempt would be at an HMV at the airport.
Wow, was I wrong!
The HMV in Terminal 1 (there are HMVs in every terminal except T2, IIRC) was more than a pleasant surprise. It was completely awesome!
This HMV was an extremely small store that felt more like a kiosk, but their selection was actually very good. The SteelBooks they had in stock were Green Hornet, Machete, Karate Kid, Robin Hood, and a few others which I don't recall.
And the Steels were all minty fresh with no extraneous wrapping or security device taped to them.
And best of all the prices excluded VAT since it was the international terminal. I ended up picking up Green Hornet, Machete, and Evil Dead with slipcover.
Overall, this was a very nice find and I'd recommend checking out the HMVs in Heathrow's terminals if you can.
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