The best local makers and shopping small in London
Can mooching be a hobby? Because that’s honestly what I love to do. A perfect day for me consists of coffee and pastries, with perhaps one or two pals, and popping in and out of a parade of shops with nowhere in particular to be.
Inside these shops, I want walls lined with trinkets, rails of clothes to paw through, pillows and throws and candles, things I don’t need but very much want.
This type of shop isn’t just in my dreams; London is splattered with lots of little indie stores in prime locations, selling wares from makers who put their heart into every product.
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or grabbing a gift for a loved one, these are the best places to support local makers and shop small in London.
LAMP LDN
Dopamine décor consists of filling your home with bright and colourful items, things that make you happy just by being around them as you go about your day-to-day. And LAMP LDN gives the highest hit.
Specialising in bright homeware, mindfully sourced, they work with independent makers and family businesses to offer you pieces that stand the test of time in their style and quality – and that are sure to bring a smile to your face every time you walk past it in your home.
Peckham, SE15 | lamplondonhome.com
Salad Days Market
Not technically a shop, but the Salad Days Market pops up all across London – in places like Battersea Power Station, Selfridges, and Gipsy Hill Brewery Taproom – and it is a delight to mooch around.
Run by twin sisters Daisy and Liv, they bring together a selection of makers from London and beyond, resulting in stall after stall of expertly crafted and super cute products.
Normally popping up over a weekend, each day often sees 30 different stallholders, meaning you can visit on both days and be delighted by new items to browse. From art and accessories to re-worked clothing and jewellery, the curation of Salad Days Market is bang on.
Various locations | saladdaysmarket.co.uk
Attagirl
From the founders of Peckham Carboot, Attagirl is a curated vintage shop in Shoreditch, bringing designer and vintage items to you for bargain prices.
Expect pops of colour and pieces you didn’t know you needed. A lot of Attagirl items are one-off gems, meaning you have to act quickly and be decisive when shopping. If in doubt, take it home. You’ll never regret purchasing one-of-a-kind Issey Miyake Pleats Please denim trousers or the perfect Miu Miu red quilted jacket (both in stock now).
Shoreditch, E2 | att-a-girl.co.uk
Conservatory Archives
If you can keep a plant alive longer than six weeks, you’re a better person than I. But that doesn’t mean shopping for plants isn’t enjoyable. And Conservatory Archives is a great place to get lost among tumbling branches of bleeding hearts or poke around the cacti.
What began as a small shop on Hackney Road, housing a curated assortment of intriguing plant specimens and antique furniture, has grown into a miniature jungle across three locations that are teeming with diverse species growing in every available corner. (Its Middleton Mews garden centre is home to the biggest selection yet.)
Plants, pots, and planters are available to buy, suitable for the city botanists or anyone who wants to bring a bit of the outdoors inside.
Islington, N7, Clapton, E5, and Hackney, E8 | conservatoryarchives.co.uk
69b Boutique
For shoppers who want to put sustainability at the forefront, 69b Boutique on Broadway Market was founded in 2011 with exactly that in mind. It brings together designers who are socially and environmentally responsible under one roof.
Shop clothes from Cor, which was founded in East London by artist and designer Jaz Hunt, buy shoes from Flower Mountain that will take you from a trek to the pub, and admire accessories from brands such as Labienhecha with its origami bags.
Hackney, E8 | 69bboutique.com
Meet Bernard
With a women’s and men’s store at two locations within a five-minute walk of each other in East Dulwich, you can divide and conquer to find a great outfit at Meet Bernard.
From its 2006 origin in Greenwich, the concept store has now expanded and invigorated its offering to bring shoppers of all tastes something to inspire them. Meet Bernard only stocks items that the owners themselves also want to buy – so you know it’s from a trusted source.
Leopard print jeans and royal blue knits make up the latest in womenswear, and men can shop zip-up worker jackets and bags from Klattermusen.
East Dulwich, SE22 | meetbernard.com
Notting Hill Bookshop
It’s giving Hugh Grant meet-cute as you reach for the same book as the person next to you, eyes meet, knees go weak – except most people don’t talk to each other in real life anymore.
Leafing through a bookshop is still a romantic affair, even for solo browsing. And the Notting Hill Bookshop, from the film, should be the go-to spot for film buffs and avid readers alike.
Head tilted as you read the spines of the books that line the shelves, grab your latest read from its extensive offering. Next up on my ‘to-read’ list? Blob by Maggie Su.
Notting Hill, W11 | thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk
insidestore
Decking out your first home? Or looking to jazz up your rental with some accessories that won’t eat into your deposit? North London’s insidestore is an indie retailer specialising in interiors.
Opening its first store to allow you to try before you buy (or sit on the sofa before you settle), it brings you a collection of modern items to make a house a home. And a visit here is like if every inspo image from your Pinterest board was brought together in one place.
Honing a relaxed and approachable style, you’ll find furniture, soft furnishings, and accessories all tied together under one theme – simple but stylish.
With products ranging from tube concrete candleholders for £8 to a Quilton Lift Sofa for £3,599, there’s something for all tastes and pay brackets.
Kentish Town, NW5 | insidestoreldn.com
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