London’s Quirky Traditional Shops
It is said you can find anything you like in central London and there are quite a few specialty shop that practically define the word eclectic. These are the smaller, privately owned shopped that are devoted to a niche theme or product; some of the are very traditional and have also been around for centuries.
If you are a fan of the Beatles then be sure to visit the Beatles Store on Baker Street. This Isa shrine to just about everything related to the Beatles including, mugs, records, T-shirts and other memorabilia.
One example is the Mystical Fairies Shop at 12 Flask Walk in Hampstead. This is a store crammed full of glittery pink statues of little fairies. This store will also throw fairy themed parties for your kids; they have a special party room with fairy attendants and costumes to make the event special. The store sells it’s online of cosmetics known as Fairy Dust. It also sells hundreds of fairy, ballet and princess outfits for little girls.
If you want to visit an old time candy shop then you might want to visit Hope and Greenwood. This old-fashioned ship looks like a place that has emerged out of the annals of time and it sells all of the old favorite candies from yesteryear. Here you will find Pink and White Mice, Snowies, candy watches, candy whistles, Giant Parma violets, Gobstopper, Candy Letters, gums jellies and other treats.
You might wonder what an old-time ships chandler might be doing in the center of London. The truth is Arthur Beale is still in business supplying rigging for many of the stages of London’s west end theaters. However this 110-year-old business, located near the Green Park tube at 10 Curzon Street still sells mooring rope and brass bells for harbor ships.
If you are a sci-fi freak then you can go to Forbidden Planet, which is a cult entrainment megastore, devoted to science fiction. You can buy books, DVDs, graphic novels and action figures here.
For at truly incredible gallery experience visit the Richard Temple Gallery on Clarendon Cross Road in Notting Hill. This gallery, founded in 1959 is voted to the restoration and showcasing of sacred art and ancient icons.
An unusual specialty store is the Duke of Uke, which is devoted entirely to selling ukuleles. The store has a rehearsal rooms and recording studio and is known for its spontaneous ukelele concerts. It is located at 88 Cheshire Street in London.
No wonder Napoleon dubbed the British a Nation of Shopkeepers.