10 second-hand spots in London you may or may not know of
Because as much fun as scrolling is, sometimes it's good to get out of the house
Shopping online for second-hand may be hit and miss but it’s also, as we all know, incredibly convenient. Too convenient you might say, with a world of temptation at our fingertips. But depending where you live, it also makes things a hell a lot more accessible and if (like me) you’re a regular trawler of Vinted, eBay and FBMP it’s where you’ll find some of the best bargains.
However. The joy of shopping second-hand will, for me, always be rooted in bricks and mortar, and the tactual (not a typo just a great portmanteau) experience of wondering through a shop, preferably one stacked to the ceiling with curiosities. One of my formative memories is of visiting Brighton as a child and squeezing down the tightly packed lanes to visit Snoopers Paradise (best name in the biz), which happily is still open today.
There is something v. instinctual but also practical (especially with second-hand pieces) about being able to browse IRL: to touch (unless you’re a seven year old who’s been expressly told not to), to assess the condition and the quality, to discover quirks and imperfections, and to get a real sense of objects that have a history. And even if the pieces are wildly out of your budget, it’s really valuable to familiarise yourself with what you like and don’t like, and what things look like in person because then when you find an equivalent online that is budget friendly, you’ll have a much better gauge of whether it’s the right purchase or not.
Somewhat sadly, thanks to the popularity and ease of selling online, and with rents (especially in London) being what they are I think shops are increasingly few and far between these days - I’ve just discovered that Arch 389 by London Fields (a favourite former Saturday morning mooch of mine) closed at the start of the year because of rent hikes - but I wanted to share a few that are still around and really worth a visit - and lots of them are really big too which is always surprising for London where space comes at a premium.
PS. I’m starting with London (because it’s where I know best) but I’m planning to follow this up with more lists focussing on other locations in the UK. Would love to hear your recommendations!
This is a favourite spot of mine, with four floors of antiques from around 20 dealers - for me it’s the best sort of shop because it really feels like a higgledy piggledy warehouse with loads of rooms to wander round and lots to look at. There’s a lot of mid-century on the lower floors but you’ll also find Georgian and Victorian pieces too. From memory, it’s especially great for lighting and sideboards/chests of drawers.
It’s been around for over 40 years and (according to their website) is the largest indoor antique and vintage market in London so I think can unofficially be granted icon status. I haven’t been for a really long time, maybe eight years, so I’m not quite sure what it houses these days, but according to the website a real mix - everything from bric a brac to art deco pieces and jewellery.
I hadn’t heard of this one, and I’m surprised because it looks pretty big from the photos. Between Wandsworth and Clapham, it opened in 1986 so another one that’s been around a long time. They don’t have very up to date social channels but the pictures on the website look promising. I’ll report back once I’ve found time to visit.
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