Norwich has always boasted a number of quirky boutiques, independent shops and antique markets
but with the rise of vintage in recent years this fine city has become the jewel in East Anglia’s crown when it comes to second-hand shopping. I set about selecting my favourite vintage haunts and found that there are now so many vintage shops and fairs in Norwich, it’s a pretty tall order to narrow it down! Still, here are my top tips for thrifting, Norwich style.
Image: tuppencehapennyvintage.blogspot.co.uk
Charity Shops
Like most cities, Norwich is packed with charity shops, some better than others for your second hand searches. Whist the Arc charity shop in the heart of the Norwich Lanes is beautifully presented with bright lighting and excellent window displays, I’ve always found it better to head to Anglia Square to track down the real bargains. There are one or two gems on Queens Road and Hall Road but the best location for a proper charity shop crawl has to be Magdalen Street and Anglia Square, north of the city centre.
Thought of as a rather rundown part of Norwich, this area has come a long way in recent years with an influx of international food marts, antique shops and vintage clothes stores interspersed with some excellent charity shops. As a general rule of thumb, the further away they are from the centre of town the better – Oxfam occasionally have some good books (they recently had a vast collection of Ladybird classics in their window) but are generally quite expensive as they tend to know what people are looking for. Those slightly further out seem not realise that how desirable their rose china tea sets and garish 1960s bedspreads are! My favourite Norwich charity shop is the PACT Animal Sanctuary which is tucked up in the corner of Anglia Sqaure (next to Greggs, which gives you some idea of what a glamorous area I’m referring to) where my recent purchases include some1970s Pyrex dishes and pretty forget-me-not tea plates.
Image: www.pactsanctuary.org
Antique Shops
After a crawl of the Magdalen Street charity shops you will come to the old Looses store which until recently housed the Aladdin’s Cave antique market. It has just changed hands but the new leaseholders are reportedly keen to continue stocking antiques and second-hand stock galore. I could spend all day in this place and frequently pop in for ‘5 minutes’ only to come out 2 hours later. It’s like a museum where not only are you allowed to touch things but you can also take things home! There’s just about everything you can imagine on offer here including furniture, instruments, records, magazines, vintage homewares, second hand books, clothes and jewellery. Don’t be afraid to haggle, it seems to be the done thing here, particularly at the Saturday flea market on the first floor where stall holders are usually prepared to strike a deal.
Image: www.vintagenorwich.co.uk
Heading towards the city from Looses, stop off at Tombland Antiques, where you’ll find beautifully displayed vintage crockery, glassware and jewellery. The shop looks like it’s for serious (for serious read expensive) antique dealers but in fact the staff are friendly and approachable and there are bargains to be had. Don’t miss Lulu Vintage, a wonderful collection of vintage clothes at the back of the store.
Vintage Clothing
There are so many vintage clothes shops in Norwich now, it really is hard to choose a favourite. Retreat Vintage is situated on Magdalen Street so you can include it in your charity shop/antiques market crawl, and it’s a favourite of EE as they regularly lend us beautiful vintage dresses for our Look Book photoshoots! Their quirky window displays mix gorgeous vintage gowns with retro radios and cocktail glasses brimming with costume jewellery, making it hard to resist a sneaky peak at the rails and baskets inside.
Image by Eclectic Eccentricity Jewellery
Some of my recent discoveries in the quest for vintage retailers selling clothes at affordable prices can be found on Norwich Market, the oldest Monday-Saturday open market in the country. Alongside stalls selling flowers, international food, and local produce there are now two vintage clothes stalls; Taxi Vintage Clothing and A Vintage Life with Lovering & Mitchell are tucked away on the back row and stock bargainous vintage clothes from 1920s to 1980s.
Vintage Homeware
Usually I love the thrill of the treasure hunt, rummaging through charity shops and car boot sales in search of vintage homewares. However, sometimes it’s nice if someone else has done the work for you and Junk and Gems on St Augustines does just that. Small but perfectly formed, this shop sells a wide variety of homewares, haberdashery, kitchenalia and crockery. Every item is in excellent condition, often with its original packaging, and at great prices. Recent purchases include a 1970s Marks and Spencers tablecloth and ‘Whot,’ a fantastic 1960s card game.
Image: https://www.facebook.com/JunkandGemsVintage
Vintage Fairs
There seems to be at least one vintage fair in Norwich most weekends these days, with Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair, the Little Vintage Lover Fair and The Most Curious Wedding Fair making regular appearances. However, an old favourite of EE has to be Clutter City; a regular makers market at Norwich Arts Centre, it’s the prefect place to buy vintage inspired presents at bargain prices. Situated at the end of St Benedicts Street in the Norwich Lanes, there are lots of vintage shops, boutiques ad tearooms to pop in to on your way to the fair. Local designers (including Eclectic Eccentricity!) sell their handmade wares which include everything from clothes, jewellery, paper goods and prints, mainly with a vintage twist. There’s music, workshops and cupcakes a plenty so you can really make a day of it!
Image: www.enjoynorwich.com
This is really just a small selection of the wealth of vintage fun there is to be had in Norwich! For a more in depth guide to all things vintage and wonderful in Norwich head to www.vintagenorwich.co.uk.
