Books, journals and prints are all available at Colours May
Vary. Located on the upstairs balcony of Leeds’ Corn Exchange
building, this is the city’s first shop to have solely focused on
design publications. By only stocking products they would buy
themselves, founders Becky Palfrey and Andy Gray have woven their
personalities into every inch of the inventory, so you can expect
to find a carefully curated selection. Working with the commercial
gallery next door, Colours May Vary is also known for its calendar
of top-notch exhibitions and workshops.

Just a short stroll from the famous Roman Baths, this unassuming
store is often mistaken for a florist, thanks to its pretty vanilla
facade. But step inside and you’ll enter a space brimming with
colourful, cutting-edge and quirky designs. Brought to us by Daniel
McCabe and Susan Greenwood, Magalleria is unlike most other
specialist shops. With an impressive selection of back issues,
collectors are invited to come and savour both past and current
stories – home library upgrade, pending.

Originally launching as a blog back in 2006, the sleek and
stylish magCulture shop first opened its doors in 2015. Since then,
it has become something of a Clerkenwell landmark and a sanctuary
for creatives and lovers of independent publishing. Founder Jeremy
Leslie encourages design enthusiasts to enjoy the airy space and
browse the expansive collection before making a purchase. More than
just a shop, the magCulture team hosts a range of interactive
events, including writing, typography and design sessions – check
the website for upcoming dates.

Rare Mags is the sort of place you plan to pop in and out of and
end up spending an entire afternoon gawking at the hefty roster of
hard-to-find international titles. Zine fans, in particular, will
take delight in the stellar collection of newbies and old-school
titles. But it’s not just the design aspect that draws in the
youthful crowds; there’s also a tasty in-house café set-up, should
you wish to make it your new hangout. Coffee connoisseurs will be
wide-eyed over the range from small-batch Welsh coffee roasters
Hard Lines – think beans from Brazil, Colombia and Papua New
Guinea.

Did you really think we’d do a high-street round-up without
swinging by our favourite east London neighbourhood? Of course you
didn’t. Situated in the heart of Broadway Market, Artwords flaunts
floor-to-ceiling whitewashed shelves bursting with all sorts of
contemporary titles, including MacGuffin, Wallpaper and ArtReview.
We suggest planning your visit for a lazy Sunday morning, and
hopping along to the Pavilion Bakery for a buttery croissant
afterwards.

Nestled inside Sheffield’s edgiest food hall, Kommune, La
Biblioteka adopts a kiosk-style arrangement. Forget everything you
thought you knew about walk-through settings, though: this place
feels more like someone’s home than a public arts space – something
we have founder Alex Maxwell to thank for. Browse plant-clad
shelves adorned with colourful bunting to find your new
coffee-table staples. Insider tip: this place has varied opening
hours, so it’s well worth checking out the website before you
visit.

Those who love to shop secondhand will be familiar with
Glasgow’s Barras Market – a weekend affair that knows how to
deliver on the vintage goods front. Back in 2019, Ripe Mags set up
shop slap bang in its centre, after founder Linda McIntosh fell
head over heels for Paris’ legendary flea markets. Gritty and
grungy, shabby yet chic, the shop’s olive-green facade and
matte-black sliding doors are the epitome of what we’d expect a
good indie mag operation to look like. While this place might not
have the most expansive range, its energetic spirit is utterly
contagious.