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SHOP THERE THIS FORTNIGHT
Indie mood
Four utterly unique Glasgow shops are bucking the depressing trend of high street homogenisation. Katy MoAulay investigates.
STATE OF INDEPENDENCE? The number of independent retailers in Scotland has been declining for years.
In 1990, there were 30,000 independent retailers. Today the figure is closer to 20,000.
But the total amount of retail space has increased, thanks to the growth of out of town
shopping centres. Total retail sales in Scotland amount to £20 billion per year.
The rise of
Can you
hop (noun): Place where you huy things. It‘s not the
stuff of a lexicographer hut it's a pretty fair
description. Yet a horde of new shops currently popping up across Glasgow seems to he hacking the trend of our expectations of retail therapy. These four shops — whether they‘re selling couture style in shahhy surroundings or exploding the delinition of a department store —- may he exceedingly different from each other. but they all proyide the customer with something a little hit out of the ordinary.
The community hangout
Dedicated knitter Katharine Walker was really excited to he moving to Scotland — ‘lt’s the place where all of the greatest yarns are made.‘ she says. But the Canadian. who has heen knitting for 30 years. was disappointed to find that she couldn‘t find a shop to buy them from. So she decided to open her own and Kl Yarns Knitting Boutique opened to the
public on 22 October. Walker has big plans for the ' ‘ I ‘ l ‘ l * ‘! it'll-gill3.21?aiiié’i‘i.f§.”iaii GONE FOR BASIC AND HOMELY TO
meet-up group just down the Meanwhile. for those who already possess the knitting
invite customers to come and street at North Star Cafe. It's called (iirls‘ Knit 0111. although know-how. around 80 huckets hanging from one wall of the boutique are crammed with yarns from alpaca and angora to
hang out. meet up and will host knitting lessons.‘ she says. THE FOCUS' I may have to change It to Big Knit ()ut because there are mohair and cashmere. Yarns from Shetland producer Jamiesons start at around £1.80. hut there is wool from places
‘We’re also starting a knitting quite a few boys who are keen to come along.‘ as far afield as Japan.
The rise of the ‘mini department store Fashion just wasn’t enough for liiona Hamilton and Alison Fielding. owners of lift & Ally. which is drawing all eyes upwards to the top floor of Princes Square. 'l'heir dehut retail effort stocks fashion. lifestyle. children‘s clothes. accessories. home wares. hooks. stationery. chocolate. wallpaper. lingerie and beauty products. l‘ili & Ally also contains a tearoom within its pristine white walls. which is no mean feat considering that the outlet is a relatiyely small. l'-shapcd space coyering only a fraction of one floor.
l‘ielding. says: ‘We wanted to create somewhere that we would like to go and shop ourselyes and we were inlluenced a little by a store called Ayoca in l)uhlin. which has a similar set-up. The shop is almost like a mini department store. lt's meant to he welcoming for cyeryone. from friends who want a cup of tea and a chat. to time-staryed women with kids.‘
Aside from being a shop that is a pure pleasure to spend
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