From Karlín to the World: Meet the Prague Team Behind Candy Rack

Prague is best known for its medieval streets, historic cafés and remarkably efficient trams. But behind the familiar postcard views, the Czech capital also has a thriving international technology and e-commerce scene.

One of the best places to encounter this newer side of Prague is Karlín. The neighborhood combines former industrial buildings with contemporary offices, independent cafés, restaurants and cultural venues. It is also home to Digismoothie, a Prague-based agency developing online stores and applications for Shopify businesses around the world.

Its products may operate far beyond the Czech Republic, but the team remains closely connected to its Karlín neighborhood.

A Prague company with an international outlook

Digismoothie was established in 2019 and has its office on Rohanské nábřeží, close to the Vltava river. According to the company, its products and services have reached more than 17,000 clients and processed over $230 million in sales.

Today, its team of more than 30 people includes developers, designers, e-commerce specialists, project managers and customer support professionals. Although its clients are international, the company continues to build its products from Prague.

Digismoothie operates as both an agency and a software developer. Its agency helps businesses create, redesign and optimize Shopify stores, covering areas such as user experience, conversion optimization, international expansion, reporting and technical integrations.

The company is also bootstrapped, which means it has grown without outside investors. That independence has allowed it to combine client work with the development of its own publicly available Shopify applications.

One of the best-known examples is an upselling app with a suitably memorable name: Candy Rack.

What is Candy Rack?

Candy Rack is an application that helps Shopify stores offer customers relevant upgrades, accessories and complementary products while they shop. Although “upselling” may sound like specialized e-commerce terminology, the basic idea is familiar to almost every traveler.

A hotel might offer breakfast while you reserve a room. An airline might suggest adding luggage or selecting a more comfortable seat. A restaurant server might recommend a side dish or dessert. When the suggestion is timely and genuinely useful, it can improve the experience as well as increase the value of the purchase.

Candy Rack applies that idea to online stores. A merchant selling a camera could recommend a compatible memory card. A skincare shop might suggest a moisturizer that complements the cleanser already in the customer’s basket. A gift store could offer wrapping before checkout.

Building globally while staying local

Karlín is a fitting base for this kind of company. The neighborhood has become one of Prague’s most recognizable modern business districts, sometims reffered to as a "Czech Silicon Valley", but it has not lost its local character.

Offices sit alongside bakeries and small cafés. A short walk can take you from a morning meeting to a riverside park, an outdoor cultural venue or one of Prague’s major concert halls. This balance between work, food, culture and public space is one reason many people enjoy spending time here even when they do not live or work in the district.

To explore Karlín from a local perspective, we asked Digismoothie’s General Manager, Tomáš Pěnka, where he likes to go.

Tomáš Pěnka’s favourite places in Karlín

“For a quick lunch, my first choice is Gemüse Corner Kebab Karlín. For coffee, I like KAAVA, while Eska is always a good option for food and its bakery. When the weather is nice, I head to Kasárna Karlín or Přístav 18600 to spend some time outside. And for live music, I always check what’s happening at Forum Karlín.”

Gemüse Corner Kebab Karlín

Best for: A quick and satisfying lunch

Gemüse Corner Kebab Karlín serves its kebabs with plenty of fresh and grilled vegetables. Visitors can choose between chicken, falafel and halloumi, served in a sandwich, dürüm or on a plate.

Its Sokolovská location makes it a convenient stop for lunch while exploring the neighborhood.

KAAVA

Best for: Coffee and a relaxed break

KAAVA is a small espresso bar on Sokolovská. Alongside specialty coffee and homemade cakes, the space also operates as a compact lifestyle shop offering fashion and accessories.

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It is an easy place to stop for coffee without turning the break into a formal meal. Its window and outdoor seating also provide a good opportunity to watch daily Karlín life passing by.

Eska

Best for: Czech baking with a modern approach

Eska combines a bakery, kitchen and shop on the ground floor of a former industrial building on Pernerova Street.

The bakery is known for reviving traditional techniques such as sourdough fermentation and baking over wood. Its signature Bread 33 contains rye, wheat and cooked potatoes and is baked using beech wood. Visitors can also come for breakfast, lunch or something sweet from the bakery.

Kasárna Karlín

Best for: Culture in an unusual setting

Kasárna Karlín occupies the courtyard of a former military barracks near Florenc. Depending on the season and weather, its program includes outdoor cinema, talks, workshops, community events and opportunities to play pétanque or volleyball.

At the time of publication, the venue’s indoor spaces are closed, but its courtyard continues to operate in suitable weather. Check the current program before visiting.

Přístav 18600

Best for: A warm evening by the river

Přístav 18600 is a seasonal cultural and community space on Rohanský Island. Once an overlooked piece of riverbank, it now functions as an open-air park with a bar, cultural program, children’s area, beach volleyball court and bookable grills.

It is particularly pleasant during the warmer months, whether you come for an event or simply want to sit outside away from the busier streets.

Forum Karlín

Best for: Live music

Forum Karlín is one of Prague’s major concert and event venues. Its program ranges from Czech performers to international bands, comedy and special productions.

Because popular events frequently sell out, it is worth checking the program and buying tickets before your trip.

Another side of Prague

Prague’s history may be visible around almost every corner, but the city is not standing still. Neighborhoods such as Karlín show how former industrial areas can develop into places where technology companies, restaurants, cafés and cultural projects exist side by side.

If you want to experience the neighborhood, Tomáš’s recommendations provide a good route. Begin with coffee at KAAVA, have lunch at Gemüse or Eska, spend the afternoon at Přístav or Kasárna and finish with a concert at Forum Karlín.

That is a side of Prague few first-time visitors expect, but it is one well worth discovering.