Let's be real here, my home town of Aberdeen isn't renouned for independent shopping (or even shopping in general), artistic happenings, or any kind of culture (from my experience of living away from Aberdeen for seven years I think we're known for oil and bad accents). However, I believe that everywhere has it's plus points and I'm always wanting to support an independent brand. So when I was up visiting my parents last week I decided to go for a wonder through the city centre to see what I could find within the granite.
Grampian Health Store
Let's start it off with my favourite kind of shop: a health store! The Grampian Health Store (on Market Street) sells everything you'd expect a health store to and I didn't see any brands I wasn't already familiar with. Butttttt, they have a take-out fridge which sells - wait for it - a range of vegan sandwiches. For the first time in a long time I used the eenie-meanie-mo method of picking a sandwich, and it felt good (I picked a veggie sausage and salad sandwich).
Seratique
An alternative shop based on Belmont Street which I always find myself rummaging in. It sells clothes for the alternative dresser who is in head-to-toe black or the alternative dresser like myself who loves brights, weird prints and pop culture references.
Cavern Record Shop
Situated right beside where the old OneUp Records once was (RIP, my former MySpace heart still mourns) is a small record shop. Honestly it's small and is underground but if you still love some vinyl it's a good place to nip into if you're in the centre.
GraniteReef
So let's chat surf clothes, even though I've never been on a surf board. I wouldn't shop here, and whilst the brands sold are all mainstream, if you're looking for some beachy vibe clothes head along here instead of the high street.
FlowerVogue
Not so much a shop, more a florist. But I like flowers and plants and sometimes wish I was a florist. But it smells nice in there.
Plan 9
And lastly, a comic shop. Because, why no? You may not know it cause I keep it off my blog (assuming there's not enough of a cross-over interest between foundation and Bat Girl?) but I'm pretty big into them. But comic shops themselves...yeah. Smelly, boy-orientated, can barely find what you're looking for...yougetthepicture. Plan 9 was a delight! Comics were organised, the place smelt good (they also sold incense), a welcoming shop front and good hygiene standards (I visited another comic shop in Aberdeen that same day which had, erm, lumps of dirt on the floor).
Do you know of any independent Aberdeen shops I've missed out? Let me know!
