UK Vintage Shops

[Two Types]

I thought it might be useful to have a thread in which to post details of any vintage shops in the UK which forum members have visited. There are plenty of interesting vintage shops and antique markets selling vintage clothing all over the country, so this could become an effective guide for any of us when we are on our holidays. Since some of these shops seldom offer for sale online, getting out and about is the only way to see what they have on offer.

I am going to start with:

Clobber

920 Christchurch Road
Bournemouth
Dorset
BH76DL

info@vintageclobber.com
Shop: 01202 433 330
Mobile: 07779 324109

'Clobber' is a real vintage shop - i.e. it actually sells good quality vintage clothing for men. Unlike many vintage shops which primarily cater for women (and might just have one rail for men) he has a whole room of men's clothing including many suits. Among those on display were suits from the thirties up to the seventies: there was even a full stroller suit and a couple of black stroller jackets. The most expensive suit I saw was £110, most were in the £65 to £85 range.

You know you are in a real vintage shop when you get chatting to the owner and they go downstairs to fetch a suitcase full of Tootal scarves. When I found a scarf by another maker in that box, he took the scarf away and said 'That's not allowed to be in my Tootal case!'.

Interestingly, the entire shop is for sale (all stock included along with the freehold to the building) for about £199,000. He occasionally posts it on ebay just to see if anyone takes him up on the offer.

A good shop and certainly one worth visiting if you are in the area.

 

[Two Types]

Levinson's

Levison's

1 Cheshire Street, London, E2 6ED
(just off Brick Lane)
0203 609 2224

This is one of favourite vintage shops. They get a good variety of stock, including plenty of suits and loads of work wear (I've seen plenty of deadstock British workwear on their rails).
They have a good turnover of stock so there is always something new on the rails. I believe they get some stock from theatre groups and theatrical hire shops, so it's not unusual to see pieces that have been altered for stage use. I was there once when they were unpacking a sack full of vintage boating blazers that had been in theatrical use. A couple of them were very old - maybe even Victorian/Edwardian.

Here's a couple of pics from their gallery:

I like it because its a shop where the staff make an effort to get to know their customers.

This is Michael Levison (pic from this website - http://www.acontinuouslean.com/2011/07/29/shopping-london-levisons-of-cheshire-street/):

and here's Ricardo:

Definitely worth checking out if you are in London.

 

[Metatron]

Great idea for a thread.
In my area there is Fleetville Vintage Emporium, St Albans.

http://www.thefleetvillevintageemporium.co.uk/#

221 Hatfield Road
St. Albans,
Hertfordshire
AL1 4TB

very large, full of 'bits and bobs', clothes, records, old magazines like Picture Post,
it is worth visiting just to browse, and a visit can take hours as there is always something to discover.
I'd recommend it more for the books and bits and bobs than for the clothes which can be a bit overpriced for what they are.
I picked up a first edition of Flight to Arras by Antoine De Saint Exupery, A 1940s book about 'modern' warfare, and a framed caricature of Marlon Brando in the waterfront from Punch magazine there.

But I often go there just to get that vintage feel.
It includes a cafe.

 

[Two Types]

I've been there. Some of the vintage clothing was quite good. They had a splendid American suit (blue flecked wool?) from the late forties - at a fair price. And a big selection of 1950s men's trousers in larger sizes (too short for me unfortunately). My nephew was with me, he wasn't interested in the clothes but was rather keen on the girl behind the counter.

 

[Metatron]

There is some good stuff indeed...
but lots of things like ties with a hole in the middle for £5, and 1970s tweed jackets for £40 which is really something I would rather pick up in a
charity shop for less than £10.
Then the trousers were generally too wide for me...

I did not see that suit! Must keep looking.

But there really are some great books there. The Exupery book features the most charming, messy, expressive ink illustrations.

Your nephew knows what he's doing.
While I'm rummaging through dusty, moth eaten relics of the past, he interacts with the living!

 

[Metatron]

Must go to Levison's some time.
Why is there no edit function in this part of the forum?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

annoying, isn't it.

 

[Two Types]

I was in 'Clobber' last week. They have a pair of old white flannel cricket trousers (I would guess 1930s/1940s) for £28. They appeared to be good condition. These are getting increasingly rare these days. If anyone is interested in them, I am going back in a couple of weeks and will find out the waist measurement. If anyone is interested at that price let me know your waist and leg measurements and I'll pick them if they are suitable.

 

[dhermann1]

I just ordered a top hat box from these guys. Looks like a good outfit. http://www.tailsclothing.com/

 

[yttclothing]

So my local shop is one called "Browsers"

I sell a few items to the lovely bloke who runs it, originally it was just at the back of a record store but they now have a whole room upstairs as well.

A great mixture of items Women's wear and Men's wear
Reasonably priced
They get new stock in every week

Based in Cheltenham at 6 CAMBRAY PLACE , GL501JS Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Well worth a visit if you are in the area !

https://www.facebook.com/Browsers.Chelt

 

[Tomasso]

annoying, isn't it.

Yes! Can't it be fixed?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

We've been askin' for a while. No explanation has been offered, so far as I remember, as to why it is how it is.

 

[Two Types]

This shop: Celia's Vintage Clothing is closing down at the end of November (although they are continuing to operate from a couple of markets).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That's unfortunate. It was probably Nottingham's best vintage shop!

 

[Two Types]

It's the economics of rents and rates etc. have you seen the traditional men's shop a few doors down from there?

The shop window still has store advertisement cards (Tootal ties, Resiline shirts etc) dating back to the fifties and sixties.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

have you asked if he has any old stock to go with the cards??

 

[Two Types]

I didn't get a chance to go in. I'd done one of those 'I'm just popping around the corner and I'll see you in ten minutes' routines. I had to fit in two vintage shops and a second hand bookshop (which was great!) so didn't have time. Hopefully i'll be back in the area sometime. Have we got any loungers in the area?

 

[robrinay]

I know the area well having lived in Nottingam for most of my working life. I'm living in Sheffield now but visit my daughter in Nottingham every few weeks so I can check it out unless someone else does it first. So whether for me or another lounger be specific about what you want checking out please?

 

[robrinay]

Sorry Two Types just re-read your request -I'll ask them if they have any n.o.s. next time I'm down -in a couple of weeks. If their website is anything to go by it stocks some very interesting items.

http://www.smalleysgentsoutfitters.co.uk/hats-and-shoes

 

[Two Types]

Looking at what they stock I think they know more about the market for vintage than would often be the case in mens outfitters. The fact that 'Celias Vintage Clothing' was just a few doors down makes me think they will have passed them anything good. I would be interested to know if they had any old advertising signs they wanted to get rid of.