Where to Shop in Brighton, Sussex
01 May, 2020
- Words by
- The Curious Pear and Rae Boocock
shopping
Colin Page Bookshop
Brighton, United Kingdom
A world-class selection of antique books on everything from cookery and natural history to topography and art.
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Workshop
Brighton, United Kingdom
Scandi-inspired homeware shop, which is sure to make you resent everything you already own.
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shopping
Our Daily Edit
Brighton, United Kingdom
Otherwise known as “ODE”, this temple of minimalist living stocks labels like M.I.H, Clarks Originals, Filippa K and Nanushka, as well as a carefully selected range of home accessories from brands like Earl of East, Oak and Bikis Ceramics.
shopping
Tidy Street General Store
Brighton, United Kingdom
In the market for a string grocery bag, handmade baskets and stylish workwear? Make this lovingly arranged homeware shop on Tidy Street your first stop – if only just to check out what the owner is wearing that day.
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Magazine
Brighton, United Kingdom
It’s surprising how much time you can lose perusing the shelves at this airy, whitewashed shop, which stocks the best independent magazines on fashion, politics, food, travel and music.
shopping
Wolf and Gypsy
Brighton, United Kingdom
While many of Brighton’s vintage shops are rabbit warrens of sports jackets and musky 1980s dresses (and we love them for it), this gem on Sydney Street is different.
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Dowse
Brighton, United Kingdom
From bracelets to books, socks to sip cups, clocks to clips, Dowse has all those trinkets which you thought you didn’t need until now. The store sells a huge selection of designs both from their own brand and from international designers meaning that copious amounts of time can be spent browsing the shelves for unique and artisan objects.
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Spiderplant Shop
Brighton, United Kingdom
There are certain houseplants that have become something of a millennial cliché: billowing monstera, glossy fiddle leaf figs, succulents shrivelling on the windowsill. Unlike many indoor-plant purveyors, Spiderplant specialises in uncommon varieties. It’s secreted away above Waiste Vintage. Wind up the narrow stairs to the third floor where light filters through fronds, variegated leaves tumble from copper pipes and pots line scaffolding shelves.
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Resident
Brighton, United Kingdom
This independent record store is a full-on dive into the music world offering nostalgic albums from the past as well as the latest hits. The owners also understand that music tastes are entirely variable and so they emphasise a no genre or generation restriction meaning that there will always be something there for everyone. What is more, the shop occasionally transforms into a live venue making for a wonderfully apt musical experience.
shopping
Snoopers Paradise
Brighton, United Kingdom
The clue for this shop is very much in the name as it offers shoppers an immersive experience in the wonderful world of vintage. With a plethora of clothes, accessories, homeware, jewellery and artworks to browse through, it is very easy to lose track of time (and space!) in this wonderland of knick-knacks and trinkets.
shopping
Utility
Brighton, United Kingdom
If utilitarian homeware had a heaven, this would be it. Think carbolic soap, falcon, weck, lodge caste iron and plenty more bits and bobs which you’ve never even heard of. Utility provides you with everything you may need for the home and also many things you don’t need but definitely do want!
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Blackout
Brighton, United Kingdom
More than just a generic gift shop to pick up a souvenir in, Blackout not only offers entirely individual trinkets that are just the right amount of kitsch, but it is also hugely passionate about sustainability in every sense. All their products have been lovingly created in South East Asia, India and tribal Southern China, and there is an emphasis on reducing waste, recycling and reusing.
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Igigi General Store
Brighton, United Kingdom
Igigi occupies two shops on the same street with one specialising in clothes and the other in homewares. After stocking up your wardrobe and home with their sophisticated pieces, enjoy a well-deserved coffee in the upstairs cafe and then a lovely stroll along the seafront.
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The Open Market
Brighton, United Kingdom
You’ll find few tourists at this undercover market, though it’s just a 10-minute stroll from Brighton’s main drag. Peruse artists’ studios, food stalls, books and plants before finding a battered sofa at the Flying Saucer Café on which to enjoy lunch. The Open Market plays host to a variety of events including craft stalls, kilo sales and coffee festivals. Check the latest dates online and plan accordingly – but no matter when you visit, always stock up on houmous at local-favourite Smorl’s; its “thunder garlic” iteration is delicious.
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HISBE
It’s unsurprising that in the UK’s only city with a Green Party MP, eco-conscious shops are aplenty. There’s Wastenot in the Open Market, Harriet’s of Hove, Store Brighton and, most famously, Infinity Foods. HISBE (How It Should Be) is the self-titled “supermarket rebel” on a mission to make ethical food normal, accessible and affordable. Head here to shop local produce and products, bountiful refill stations and kombucha on tap.
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North Laine
Originally the heart of the sleepy fishing village of Brighthelmstone, the twisting alleyways of The Lanes are raved about by tourists but seldom frequented by locals. North Laine – the area sandwiched between North Street and Trafalgar Street – is a much better stomping ground, thanks to its 300-plus bohemian stores interspersed by street art and buskers. We love The Crop’s jewellery, designer threads curated by Fold and voguish home accessories from Abode Living. Need to while away some time? Make tracks for lifestyle shop lavender/room and vintage pundit Flock. Warning: the area can get unbearably congested in high season.
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Vine Street Vintage
This townhouse-turned-vintage store makes even the best-curated Pinterest interiors boards look a little lacklustre. Racing-green walls and characterful dark-wood floors backdrop blonde peacock chairs and fringed velvet sofas illuminated by light that trickles through palm-leaf lampshades. Sure, it’s unlikely you’ll fit these one-of-a-kind pieces in your carry-on home, but delivery is – thankfully – available, as are sourcing services.
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HOLD
This sleek shop by Lagom Design holds (sorry) a special place in our hearts for its quality edit of home and lifestyle wares. Shelves of walnut, ash and oak set the stage for well-crafted products as diverse as Ilex Acorn’s Avocado vase, calligraphy supplies, Kinto’s chic Day Off reusable bottle and Pump Street chocolate.