As soon as Halloween is out of the way our collective attention turns to Christmas, with most shops already filling their shelves with festive displays and twinkly lights. The advice is usually to get your Christmas shopping done as early as possible, but if you can’t bear huge shopping centres and Wizzard on repeat then independent shops could be the answer.
1. Concorde Music, Perth
15 Scott St, Perth
Open Monday to Saturday, 9am-4.45pm
01738 621818
https://www.concordemusic.com
The oldest surviving independent record shop in Scotland, Concorde Music is a Perth institution that’s well worth a visit from any self-respecting music fan. The store started in 1967 in the former St John's Square, and is now run by Garry Smith, the son of the original owners who bought it when he was still at school. He sells a huge range of DVDs, CDs and vinyl LPs as well as record players – and if you’re feeling extra generous, there is even a number of rare LPs available to order.
2. Curiouser & Curiouser, Edinburgh
93 Broughton St, Edinburgh
Open Monday to Saturday, 10am-6pm and Sunday, 12pm-5pm
0131 556 1866
www.curiouserandcuriouser.com
Following the success of their first store (which is conveniently named Curiouser), husband and wife owners Laura and Ian opened Curiouser and Curiouser three years ago. Since then it has become one of the most popular gift stores in Edinburgh, with Scandinavian inspired products sourced from lesser-known and independent brands. Prints and illustrations are a key part of what they sell, so if you have any art-lovers in your life then a visit here should have their Christmas present sorted.
3. BeerCraft, Kelso
2 Horsemarket, Kelso, Scottish Borders
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10.30am-6pm
01573 348100
www.visitkelso.com
It might be small but BeerCraft more than makes up for its limited floor space by stocking over 250 varieties of craft beer (as well as a not unsubstantial selection of gin and whisky). It is the only independent craft beer and gin merchant in Kelso, and helps promote local producers by being one of the largest stockists of the local Tempest Brewing Company and the Kelso Gin Company. And there’s no need to worry about getting bored of their selections, with new and limited-edition products brought in on a weekly basis.
4. Mr Ben Retro Clothing
Kings Court, 101 King St, Glasgow
Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10.30am-6pm, Sunday 12.30pm-5.30pm, and Monday 12.30am-6pm
0141 553 1936
www.mrbenretroclothing.com
Stepping into the emporium that is Mr Ben is a shopping experience like few others. Clothes, bags, hats and shoes are stacked almost as high as the ceiling and crammed into every spare nook and cranny in the reasonably small store. Ranging from vintage football shirts to leather brogues or silk scarves, you could easily lose an hour searching through all of the products and still not see everything – and also be guaranteed that no one else is going to end up in the same outfit as you.
5. Leakey's Bookshop
Church St, Inverness
Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5.30pm
01463 239947
Not unlike something out of Harry Potter, this huge bookshop has a mezzanine that is quite magical to stand on and admire the thousands of books below. It’s easy to lose a few hours wandering around and browsing the range of classics, poetry, children’s books and maps on offer: which range in price from 50p right up to several hundred pounds. And if you want to relax and read some of the books on sale, then there is a wood burning stove and plenty of chairs to curl up in while you leaf through them.
6. Scottish Antiques and Arts Centre
Carse of Cambus, Doune, Stirlingshire
Open every day, 10am-5pm
01786 841203
www.scottish-antiques.com
This Aladdin’s cave of an antiques centre has dozens of stalls offering gift ideas of art, jewellery, pottery and collectables. Gifts aside, there are also plenty of things to pick up for yourself – but if all the shopping gets too tiring then there is a café and coffee shop to relax in afterwards.
7. Hamish Munro, Aberdeen
19-25 Thistle St, Aberdeen
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-5,30pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm
01224 641388
If you have a shoe-lover in your life that you need to find a Christmas present for, then look no further than Hamish Munro. This family run boutique specialises in ladies’ accessories, particularly shoes, with a selection that encompasses trainers, loafers, boots and high heels as well as a complimentary stretching service to ensure the perfect fit.
8. Valhalla’s Goat, Glasgow
449 Great Western Road, Glasgow
Open Monday- Friday, 10am-11pm, Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 12pm-8pm
0141 337 3441
www.valhallasgoat.com
Giving a bottle of wine from a supermarket isn’t the most impressive gift, but giving a boutique bottle sourced with care and attention is something else entirely. The team at Vahalla’s Goat pride themselves on choosing the best fine wines, artisan beers and specialist whiskies, using their collective experience of more than 30 years in the trade.
9. J A Braithwaite, Dundee
6 Castle Street, Dundee
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm
01382 322693
The oldest shop in Dundee, J A Braithwaite has been selling coffee, tea and drinking paraphernalia since way back in 1868. The smell when you walk in is nothing short of blissful, with beans roasted in the shop following a family recipe and a choice of over 100 teas and 30 coffees to take home.
10. In House Chocolates by Design, Castle Douglas
128 King St, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway
Open Monday- Saturday, 9am-5pm
01556 503037
www.inhousechocolates.biz
A box of Milk Tray is all well and good, but nothing quite shows you care like picking someone out a selection of individually handmade chocolates. In House Chocolates has more than 65 elegantly-presented flavours, as well as chocolate drops to help you make their much-acclaimed hot chocolate at home.
11. Frontiers Man, Edinburgh
18 Stafford St, Edinburgh
Open Monday-Thursday, 10.30am-6.30pm and Friday- Saturday, 10am-6pm
0131 538 3546
www.frontiers-man.com
This store offers clothes, shoes and everything else that the stylish man will need to complete an outfit. Owner Nigel Pashley had no retail experience when he first opened the shop, but was probably helped by the fact that his wife Jane has successfully run the nearby Frontiers Woman store for over two decades.
12. Kartel St Andrews
9 Church St, St Andrews, Fife
Open Monday- Saturday, 10.30am-5.30pm
01334 479333
www.kartel.co.uk
Specialising in watches and sunglasses, Kartel pride themselves on their attentive, knowledgeable service and the sleek interior of their store. Their star offering is the One of One design option, which allows you to build your own bespoke watch by choosing your own face design, colour, watch style and straps. They even finish it with a personalised engraved message – what more could you ask for to win Christmas brownie points?
13. Isle of Skye Soap Company
Somerled Square, Portree, Skye
Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm and Sunday, 10am-5pm
01478 611350
www.skye-soap.co.uk
If you are looking for pampering products then look no further: the Isle of Skye Soap Company offers an array of soaps, bath bombs and aromatherapy oils made with colour-free, plant-based ingredients. Perfect for Christmas, they also offer luxury gift boxes that come in natural bleached wood and include a personalised gift message, which the store will post to an address of your choice anywhere in the world.
14. The Lighthouse, Appin Craft Shop
Port Appin, Appin, Argyll And Bute
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday 10am-2pm
01631 730000
www.appincraftshop.co.uk
Showcasing the best in Scottish craft and design, The Lighthouse offers high quality products from more than 80 artists from across the country. You can choose from jewellery, pottery, woodwork and paintings that range from a few pounds up to several hundred, and if you can’t make it out to the store in Appin they also offer an online shopping service.
15. The Shop of Interest, Glasgow
1058 Argyle Street, Glasgow
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm
0141 221 7316
www.theshopofinterest.co.uk
Unsurprisingly there are plenty of interesting items on sale at the Shop of Interest, including a "Trump is a Jobby" brooch and a model kit that lets you build your own mini Glasgow tenement. They also stock a range of art, jewellery and homeware, as well as quirky keepsakes that are sure to get people talking on Christmas morning.
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