Sideways

Take a library and turn it on its side. What have you got? A Madison Avenue Coffee Shop, Simple.

Floor on the wall, wall on the floor, ceiling on the wall. Go on turn your head.

Photos via Dezeen

Mix your shop up

 I have always been a fan of mixed up retail. You know the type we Irish used to do so well like a Pub- Grocer- Funeral Director business where you could have a few pints then buy a half pound of tea and some rashers for when you got home and all this from the same pub.

I've been to a few strange mixed shops but one that stands out was a hairdresser - denim shop - vintage vinyl record shop in Spitalfields London. In the coiffure section you sat at vintage dressing tables to have your "do" done. The "dos" were all post Hoxton Fin and asymmetric fringes.  The dressing tables were from different decades 20's 40's and 50's, very cool. The basement was home to the denim and vinyl records with ABBA playing on a little Dancetron set on the floor.

The LeCool group have catalogued these mad little shops in London and other cities

Mat Osmon of LeCool describes the London book thus

"It's for people who love the city, People who love scooter shops that turn into coffee shops, and flats with aeroplane wings through them, and manga libraries, and doll's house furniture shops, and bubble-and-squeak stalls, and hairdressers-cum-art galleries-cum-nightclubs, and rollergirls, and so on and so on .

So if its for people who love the city, any city then it's for me.

There is a LeCool Dublin Website but this lists events rather than places. Maybe its time to catalogue Dublin's more eccentric shops.

Which one would you put at the top of your list? I know a lot of my readers are not from Dublin. Let me know of the quirky places where you live?

With corporate multinational similar streets you just don't get a mix up, a shop where you could  buy some boots and buy a painting. Let me know if your thinking of getting one off the ground.

Game Set and Sekt

From clothes in Dublin to clothes in Basel. The Set and Sekt shop in Basel. Good space with room to breathe. It has an art gallery feel. Note the little blue shopping trolley, mixing high end fashion retailing with the chosen grocery conveyor of the little old lady on Moore Street Dublin. In not a fan of the chairs although I've never sat in one of these. They would have to be very comfortable for me to be convinced. But what I like is the bar at the end or more importantly the spirits bottles suspended from the roof. I wonder if they pour you a stiff drink as they give you the total on your clothes spend. The bottom photo was taken on opening night rather than on a sale day.

Dolls with great Buns

On Sunday morning a little bit older and not proportionately  wiser after a night out on Dublin's North Great Georges Street I headed across the city for breakfast. This journey was taken on the suggestion of Mrs Seven. She has been trying to get me over to Dolls clothes shop and its immediately adjacent Cafe Bibis for some time but I know the meaning of the word ulterior . This double venture clothes and cake is the work of Petria and Maisha Lenehan and Mrs Seven has been a frequenter of the original Dolls shop on Clarendon Street for some time. I've found the bags hidden at the bottom of the wardrobe.

The shop set behind a smart grey shop front is light and uncluttered with the all important sofa for rest while she has a rummage on the racks. There are some old original victorian shop display cases that contrast really well with frameless structural glass balustrade to the basement stairs. White walls and a parquet floor ad to make up a crisp feel and perfect backdrop to display some lovely clothes. Good to see Petria has some men's lines in stock too.

The cafe takes up less room and there is a glass door link between the two. The seats here are Hans Wegners Y chairs. There is also an option to sit under the canopies outside. I had a very good Eggs Benedict variation chosen from the chalked up back of door menu. All of the food is made by Maisha and they do great coffee. Its great to see this new cafe and shop development located on a corner amongst the red brick terraces of Dublin 8.  

You will find Dolls and BiBis on  Emorville Avenue Dublin 8.

Images via Dirtyfabulous Irish Times Nickysragtales

Bills Brighton

 Bills cafe in Brighton has been in operation a number of years now.

I dropped in again on my trip over a couple of weeks ago.

It's a smart operation where you can buy fresh veg and other food products or 

sit down for some wholesome grub made with what's on display.

There is and obvious synergy between the retail and cafe elements and in the case of Bills the result is definitely more than the sum of cafe and shop. Its become an institution.

The furniture is all of the scrubbed wooden kitchen table type. The building is called the depot and that's what it looks like with unpolished concrete floors and exposed ducting. The whole effect is unprocessed which is what the food is about.

In for a Treat

Funky new shops, I love to see them opening up in my neighbourhood. If their selling something that might possibly add to my waistline all the better especially with Autumn coming in and it being a time when we all like a little comfort food. "Treat" our new neighbourhood shop is  a deli and gift shop located on Cabra's Imaal Road that sells fine coffee, cakes and breads. They've also put together a great selection of cheeses, cold cuts, relishes, oils and gifts.


The shop is owned and run by Linley Jones and Sally-Anne Bennet. Sally-Anne is an interior designer and has kept a keen designers eye on all that can be seen in the design of the shop and the choice of gifts on offer.


The smart grey shop front makes a great addition to the parade shops that make up Imaal Mart and the guys have selected some lovely vintage dressers and tables to display their Treats on.
This type of enterprise is something i've posted about before. Quality independent shops are what will keep our shopping streets exciting.

Photos Via Treat

Little Cake Shop

Here's a little shop-cafe in Stuttgart. The Cupcake Boutique. Its by DITTEL - Architekten

Its a good clean modern design. A great name although here in Dublin we call what they sell buns not cupcakes. The graphics are fun and light, just like a good cupcake really.

Photos