10 Liverpool independent shops you should definitely check out

Liverpool’s independently owned and run shops make our city what it is, giving it that unique identity we know and love. 

You’ll find hundreds of independents stores across the city, and now more than ever we should try and shop local.

Here are just 10 of them you can check out right now:

Utility – Home Design Store, 86 Bold St

Utility is a shop full of treats, whether for yourself or a gift or thank you for someone else. From high end furniture and lighting to cute jewellery to art, novelty books, mugs, ornaments, there is something to suit all budgets. And such a range of greetings cards meaning that whatever random the occasion you are celebrating, Utility will have a way of marking it and making it special. Utility closed one of their Bold St shops last year in order to expand the business into the Baltic area and they also have store in Manchester.  

Follow on Twitter here.

Rennies Gallery – 61-63 Bold St

Rennies is the very definition of a family run business, starting back in 1965 selling oil paintings by Jean Rennie around the North West of England, different family members framing, and involved in the operation. Here in 2020, the business employs around 25 people, with branches in Liverpool, Ormskirk and St.Helens and a workshop in Wavertree. Rennies sells art and art supplies too, something for the art lover and creator alike.

Follow on Facebook here.

The Leather Shop

Walk through the entrance of Central Station, the aroma of leather emanates from The Leather Shop. The shop does what it says on the tin, operating from the same site from over a quarter of a century.  It sells everything in leather you might imagine, from coast and gloves and hats to studded leather belts favoured by rockers or heavy metal fans.

Here’s the Facebook page.

69a

The distinctive 69a sign and front window busy with colour offers just a glimpse of what you’ll find inside. Based on Renshaw Street this vintage clothes, books, records, antiques and curiosity shop has been supplying Liverpool with pre-loved delights since 1976. They also now have an added focus on Asian, African and 20th Century Decorative Arts.

Visit the website here.

News from Nowhere, 96 Bold St

Liverpool’s radical feminist bookshop has kept our city fed with literature and topped up with community spirit since 1976. Not for profit, it is run by a women’s collective, the shop specializes in books from independent publishers both national and local. They have an impressive collection of zines, fictions, non-fiction and poetry, and the shop’s noticeboard is a valuable resource to find out what’s going on in the city for women. 

Follow them on twitter here.

Curly Music

This music shop is over 40 years old but has travelled around Liverpool from Smithdown Road, then Stanley St before finding its current home on Renshaw St. Run by musicians for musicians they sell new and second hand musical equipment from guitars to flutes and clarinets. Curly also buys instruments from the public, offers a repair service, sets up guitars and has accessories for sale too.

The Facebook page is here.

SIDA

Located at the Hardman Street end of Bold Street, this far Eastern supermarket is a reliable resource for everything you need to rustle up an Asian meal at home. There are ready meals if you’ve had a busy day but also fresh ingredients, sauces and spices to make dinner time special, and soft drinks to wash it all down with. Plus tasty sweets to nibble on for an extra sugar rush.

Bold St Barbers

This new barbers shop with a brick walled interior and glass front, opened last November and is already making a name for itself. They offer haircuts – of course –  and a range of services including beard trim, facials and hot towel shave. Or you can totally treat yourself or prepare for that special night or date with the Full Set of cut, shave and wash. They offer a 15% student discount on all haircuts.

Follow onFacebook here.

Shared Earth – 71 Bold Street

Selling ethical, design-led products for the individual, home and garden, Shared Earth has a sister shop in York but has become very much part of Liverpool’s DNA. The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about everything in the store, and from greetings cards to ornaments to jewellery to chocolate each is Fair Trade, meaning those creating these quality products receive a fair amount for their labour and skills. There is also an emphasis on stock made from recycled material, in a range of beautiful bags and rugs.

More info on the website here.

81 Renshaw

This record shop and eaterie and music venue all rolled into one has shifted and changed over the last year. With no live music events taking place 81 Renshaw did the wise thing and expanded its record selling area, for social distancing reasons but also to give us even more records to drool over. The shop sells brand new releases it lists on its Facebook page each week, as well as second hand classic and collectable rarities.

Follow on Facebook here.