1. Blade Rubber Stamps
Tucked away, moments from the British Museum, this is a sanctuary for those in love of stamps. In this special shop you will find from bespoke ‘specials’ to standard stamps.
Location: 12 Bury Place, WC1A 2JL
2. Ümit & Son
Piled high with ageing reels of Super 8 and Super 16 film, this shop is from another time. Owner Ümit Mesut has amassed a collection of more than 2,000 classic films, from Battle star Galactica to King Kong.
Location: 35 Lower Clapton Rd, E5 0NS
3. Get Stuffed
Looking for a pet, but have no time to look after him? Pick up a dead one from this jovially named taxidermy emporium. The walls of Get Stuffed are lined with all manner of poor buggers who couldn’t run away fast enough – bears, lions and penguins are all up for grabs.
Location: 105 Essex Rd, N1 2SL
4. Mysteries
Describing itself as ‘the centre for your mind, body and spirit’, Mysteries in Covent Garden is like a new-age supermarket, with a legion of celebrity fans including Jarvis Cocker and Patsy Kensit. You will find from candles to magic stones.
Location: 9-11 Monmouth St, WC2H 9DA
5. Barn the Spoon
Looking for wooden spoons? First you see a bearded man sitting in the window of a small, bare establishment carefully whittling pieces of wood into spoons. Barn the Spoon, as the shop’s proprietor is known, has been running this unusual venture since 2012.
Location: 260 Hackney Rd, E2 7SJ
6. Sylvanian Families
Few toys have captured the imaginations of children like Sylvanian Families do and this dedicated Sylvanian store in Highbury, north London could be the answer to your weird wishes.
Location: 68 Mountgrove Rd, N5 2LT
7. The Viking Store
Broken your favourite drinking Viking horn? Not to worry, this Walthamstow boutique will set you straight. This is paradise shop for those in love of Viking stuff.
Location: 119 Wood St, E17 3LL
8. Atlantis Bookshop
London’s oldest occult bookseller has a selection of tomes on witchcraft and wizardry that would put the Hogwarts library to shame.
Location: 49a Museum St, WC1A 1LY
Copyright Atlantis Bookshop
Looking for a place to stay in London, which is not weird, but will give you access to shopping, major museums and what this city full of surprises has to offer, try boutique hotel The Caesar 4*, a gem sitting in central Hyde Park.
