COP26: The 26 must-visit independent shops in Glasgow

For the Last 75 years the shop has been owned by the Walton family. Roy Walton, the much beloved owner who unfortunately passed away at the age of 87 in February of 2020, left the business to his wife Jean and his daughters Sarah and Julia.https://tamshepherds.com/

MR BEN
Founded in the 1990s, this vintage clothing shop is a Glasgow institution. Open Thursday to Sunday, this shop stocks many brands – including  Dr Martens, Levi’s and Vans.

Located in Kings Court in the city centre, Mr Ben is the perfect spot to pick up fashion that you won’t find anywhere else on the high street. Mr Ben is also looking to branch out, with tea sets for hire, fashion workshops, antique clothing care and stage/tv costumes all coming soon to the shop.
https://mrbenretroclothing.com/index.html

OSIRIS
Osiris Clothing has been clothing Glasgow’s alternative and goth communities for more than 20 years. Opening in 1992 with a small shop in Glasgow’s west end, it now has space in Glasgow’s Queen Street alongside Eurasia Crafts.

This store has been running since 1995 and continues apace, stocking many brands such as Killer Panda, Alchemy Black, Manic Panic and La Riche – Directions as part of their repertoire.
www.osirisclothing.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

R-CADE
R-Cade is a ‘retro’ gaming shop located in Glasgow’s Saltmarket area. Established in 2018, R-Cade offers shoppers the chance to experience retro games as they were intended – on arcade machines and old-school TVs.

They also brought back local multiplayer gaming at a time when online gaming is at its peak popularity. They have created a warm, welcoming and safe environment for lovers of retro gaming to hang out and connect with each other and make new friends in the space.
www.rcadeglasgow.com

MRS MITCHELL’S SWEETIE SHOP
Mrs Mitchell Sweetie Shop is truly a blast from the past. The shop, on Trongate in the city centre, first opened over 10 years ago by Beverly Mitchell. The shelves are teeming with jars brightly-coloured sweets, with something there for everyone to trigger a special childhood memory. 

It’s a rarity in the modern day to find a shop that appears to be from another era, but as soon as you enter Mrs Mitchell’s you are transported back in time. https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Shopping---Retail/Mrs-Mitchells-Sweet-Shop-1318836131502751/  

OAKA

Oaka is an Asian supermarket that sells products from all over Asia – Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China and more. Opening its first store in Glasgow in 2016, the company has now spread across 11 cities within the UK and has hopes of further expansion to Europe in the future.

If you don’t want to venture out into the Scottish weather, they also offer a ‘shop online’ option, letting you browse their stock from the comfort of your home.
https://www.oakasupercity.com/

LOCAVORE
Locavore is a social enterprise that begun in 2011, aiming to build a more sustainable local food system in Glasgow .

They have since opened three establishments (in Partick, Govanhill and Renfrew Street), and have created a veg-box scheme which has helped them to get more people thinking about food waste. They aim to trade in the same places as the big supermarket chains, while upholding more sustainable and climate conscious values.
https://glasgowlocavore.org/

CATEGORY IS BOOKS
Category Is Books is an independent, queer bookshop that you can find on Allison Street in the South Side. Open Thursday to Sunday 11am till 6pm, this bookshop was founded by two genderqueer people and is a great safe space for those who need it.

Selling queer comics, books, magazines, graphic novels and more, there is something for everyone in the community. The shop has introduced a ‘pay it forward’ scheme to provide books to those in need. https://www.categoryisbooks.com/

DECADENT RIOT
Decadent Riot is an alternative gift shop on Park Road in West End. The small, vibrant red-coloured shop is known amongst its customers for its quirky and unusual items - a stark contrast from the beige, mainstream retailers of Glasgow.

The shop sells a range of items across a variety of interests, from books and games to home décor.
https://decadentriot.co.uk

GLAD RAGS THRIFT
Glad Rags is a family-owned thrift store located in the South Side. Founded by the youngest member of the Glad family in 2014, sustainability is the number one priority for Glad Rags, averaging 520kg of clothes diverted from landfill sites per month. Glad Rags relies on public donations to keep their shop running.

As a non-profit organisation, anything that they don’t sell will get sent to other charities doing similar work to ensure that the work they do is sustainable. https://gladrags.mybigcommerce.com/

GEEKABOO
Geekaboo is unsurprisingly a shop for geeks. Situated on Queen Street, the shop catches the eye of shoppers with its bright red exterior and a shop window filled with comic and gaming memorabilia.

Shoppers can find an array of products to meet their geeky needs - from  Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures and models, to clothing and comics. https://www.geek-aboo.com/

PENNY BLACK
The half café, half post office first opened in the West End in 2014. It offers quirky gifts, specialty drinks and child-friendly menus. The family-owned Penny Black is focused on sourcing ethical and sustainable products for their customers. 

Penny Black’s wide range of products are FSC certified, meaning they have been recognised by the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes environmentally friendly and economically sustainable forest management.
https://www.penny-black.co.uk/

FULL CIRCLE BAKES
Full Circle Bakes is a takeaway bakery shop which has popped up in a variety of locations across the city over the past two years, before finally opening its first permanent shop in Dennistoun this June.

The shop was founded by Jackie, a qualified pastry chef, who started the business from her kitchen. Her luxurious baked sweet treats of blondies, cookies and brownies are made with free-range eggs, organic flour and Belgian chocolate.
https://fullcirclebakes.com

ROOTS, FRUITS & FLOWERS
Roots, Fruits & Flowers is a greengrocer and florist in the West End. The first shop opened in 1980 and has expanded to multiple locations since then.

Starting as a fruit shop it soon branched into a wholefoods and organic store which developed into restaurants and eateries. The florist came last but rapidly gained attention for its creative style and unique displays.
https://www.rootsfruitsandflowers.com/

MONORAIL MUSIC
Monorail Music opened in 2002 in the Trongate area of the city centre. Monorail Music takes a community-based approach to the way that they operate with the aim to make people feel a part of the experience.

Monorail Music has maintained a close relationship with artists such as Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian and Chemikal Underground. https://www.monorailmusic.com/

Sunshine No.1
Sunshine No.1 is an independent art and gift store that has a wide range of products from coffee and tea to scarves and candles. Its doors have been open since 2015, founded by Suzi Nicol.

As an art lover herself, she wanted to give local artists a platform to display their work. All of their products have been made by creators living in Scotland, and they now have over 70 designers as part of their team.
https://sunshineno1.com/

GREAVES SPORTS
Greaves Sports, in Gordon Street, remains Scotland’s oldest independent sports retailer after opening its doors in 1930. Originally named the Clydesdale Rubber Company, brothers Jim and Bill Greaves rebranded the company as Greaves Sports in 1967.

The store continues to be family owned to this day, with the business now entering its fifth generation of the Greaves family. The store has a variety of sportswear in stock which includes football, rugby, cricket and much more.
https://www.greavessports.com

LOVE MUSIC
Opened in 1997, Love Music is located beside Queen Street train station and Buchanan Galleries shopping centre. The old-school record shop sells new and second-hand music, from vinyl LPs and singles to merchandise such as T-shirts and items as little as fridge magnets.

The record shop is supportive of local groups and stocks many unsigned artists. This shop also hosts in-store performances and signings from artists such as Moby and Futureheads.
https://lovemusicglasgow.com/

STARRY, STARRY NIGHT
Starry Starry night, established in 1986, offers clothing from as old as the Victorian and Edwardian times through to the 1980s. As well as selling clothing, accessories and textiles they also buy vintage clothes from their customers.

Located in the West End’s cobbled Dowanside Lane, it is a small hidden gem to true vintage shoppers, from antique dealers to younger clients such as students and young adults.
https://www.starrystarrynightvintage.co.uk/

MERCHANT CITY CAMERAS
Merchant City Cameras is a camera shop exclusive to Glasgow. This specialist shop was founded in 2008 and caters for all photography needs. It sells everything from cameras to tripods and even dark room accessories like AP graduated measuring cylinders for all of your film developing needs.

The shop also caters for various activities such as astronomy, bird watching and also extreme sports. Overall, Merchant City Cameras is the go-to place for all photography lovers visiting the city of Glasgow. 
https://merchantcitycameras.com/
 

BILL’S TOOL STORE
Bill’s Tool Store is a 70-year-old shop and is the go-to place for some handy tool trivia, with the shop’s owner boasting a secret collection of over 200 years’ worth of tool history.

Val Pearson has been at the helm of the shop after it was handed over by his father Bill. At this shop you can be sure that you are supporting a local business instead of a conglomerate the next time you’re looking for some handy tools to work on some DIY project. 
https://www.billstoolstore.com/

THE GOOD CHOICE
The Good Choice is a zero-waste store, the goal of which is to provide an environmentally friendly way to shop. Eliminating product packaging is one tactic the store takes to reduce the amount of waste produced. Instead, refill stations are used and customers are encouraged to reuse their containers at home.

The shop aims to use suppliers that also preserve the environment, as well as choosing local business to reduce carbon emissions. Located on Cathcart road in Mount Florida, the shop is a sure-fire way to boost your weekly shop’s eco credentials.
https://www.tgchoice.co.uk/

BASUS
Want to go for a relaxing stroll perusing furniture and getting interior inspo? Then Basus is the place for you. A warm welcome awaits, alongside larger pieces, lighting, and design-led accessories.

Their large stock of aesthetically pleasing furniture will meet your interior needs. Look for the next new addition to your home at Fenwick Road.
https://www.basus-home.co.uk/
 

BILLY BISLAND CYCLES
Billy Bilsland Cycles is a family-run bicycle store situated in Saltmarket. Opened in 1980 by renowned Scottish cyclist Billy Bilsland, the store has built its reputation for specialising in selling quality electric, gravel, mountain and community bikes.

The store, which is now managed by Billy’s son Neil, also offers professional bike fits and servicing. Expect to see brands including Cervelo, Cannondale and Ridgeback when you visit.
https://www.billybilslandcycles.co.uk

THE GOOD SPIRITS CO
Due to the lack of specialist drinks shops in Glasgow, three drinks enthusiasts opened their own in 2011. Their first store, on Bath Street, has since expanded to include two more locations throughout Glasgow.

The Good Spirits Co's mission is to provide an unrivalled tasting experience and to provide the finest fine drinks from around the world.
The second location, on West Nile Street, carries a wide variety of new and unique craft beers, incredible wines, as well as champagnes, ciders, and sherry.
https://www.thegoodspiritsco.com/

MARCHTOWN
Marchtown is a shop and a bar which hosts 500 ever-changing wines, beers and spirits all handpicked by their experts. Founded in 2016, the South Side haunt also holster a fine selection of cheeses.

Marchtown is very environmentally friendly with its use of bleach-free, recycled and recyclable packaging, so feel free bring a bag of your own as you enjoy the many tastes and scents of the world the next time you visit Glasgow.
https://marchtown.co.uk/