A bit about me: I’m not a Stray Ferret staffer, I’m a consumer journalist who loves shopping and loves Harrogate. This month, I’m here to show you what’s caught my eye in Harrogate’s independent outlets. The high street is great. But alongside the big brands, what really makes a place special for shopping are the one-offs: local small businesses where you can really feel the love and passion for what they sell.  So give them a bit of love back and buy from them!.

The items I have picked are my personal choices – I have not been paid to feature them.  

 

EARRINGS, Boho Chic, West Park.  £35

Boho Chic has been sourcing clothes and accessories from across the globe since 2009.  It’s a small, friendly boutique and feels like a happy business. With a colourful range of spring, summer - and yes, even beach wear – it made me feel like summer might really happen.  And a big plus for me – they have lots of reasonably priced jewellery with pearly and other sparkly features.  These earrings caught my eye but I could have happily picked out plenty more.

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PICNIC SET, Foxy Antiques and Interiors, Commercial Street £65.

All power to Commercial Street which is fast carving out an identity for itself as the destination for independent foody shopping (more on that another month).  It also is home to interiors specialist Foxy, which only opened in December (in the middle of the pandemic – full marks for bottle!).  This is a properly whacky place for when you need some taxidermy, a fiberglass ET, original art or some retro commercial signage.  I bought a set of 60s frosted glass tumblers (only £24) – so sadly for you, those are no longer available. But I was also tempted by the romance of a balmy picnic with this hamper. It has everything you’d need from lovely crockery to cutlery and a salt and pepper set:  just fill up with choice items from the food stores up the road.

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BLOUSE, Porters, St James St  £75

This recent arrival to St James Street – next to Coopers – is classy with affordable as well as some higher end labels.  In womenswear, upstairs, they carry Scotch and Soda (a favourite line of mine) as well as some less established ranges.  Broderie Anglaise is big this year (which is good because its lovely) and this blouse is smart and summery.  There’s also a shirt dress version for £95 that I think would look stunning.  Menswear has been selected with a clever eye, with plenty of unstructured casual jackets, including some from Universal Works - pricey but definitely dapper.  Fashion conscious friends of mine have had to search this label out online, but you lucky Harrogate shoppers can try them on in your local high street independent.

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LITERARY TRAVEL MUGS. John Atkinson Books, Royal Parade £20

Editor’s choice: “Surely no one wants to add to landfill by buying takeaway coffee cups?” asks the editor as I sheepishly admit to forgetting my travel cup (again).  These literary  mugs could be the answer, and they also say to the world “I’m a learned, well read fun type”, which I like doing. They would make great presents – as might the first editions sold by this dealer in fine and rare books.  If you had fifteen grand or so to spare for, say, a first issue Conan Doyle.  Maybe just stick to the Sherlock mugs then?  Book prices do start at under £99 but anyway, I loved just looking at these historic editions, many with beautiful period covers. Artworks, in fact. Being in their presence was enough.

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STORAGE BASKETS, Westmorland, Montpelier Parade £20 and £16.50

Sheepskin specialists are not just for winter..  There’s many a beautiful warm slipper to be found here, but they also sell boots, accessories, gorgeous leather aprons for kids doing crafts, and homewares.  I particularly liked these storage boxes which are native to Yorkshire: from a range produced by a mother and daughter team whose family members worked in the rag trade in Ossett, West Yorkshire, recycling woolen cloth. Now the pair work with local mills to source environmentally sustainable fabrics.

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SCARF / SUMMER WRAP, Dizzy Duck, Albert Street £14

More cheerful summer clothes to choose from here, but experience tells us it is always wise to have a cardie or at least a warm wrap on hand. Of course you could always use it as a scarf too – its extremely soft and I loved the velvet contrast ribbon trim.  And there’s another version with a rainbow edging.  Very reasonably priced so it might be tempting to buy both…

 

 

More next month!  Keep shopping and keep Harrogate great.