Once upon a time, Indie Shopaholic used to only shop for herself. Occasionally there was an odd gift to buy, but that was easy enough to take care of. Then came the home-owning and suddenly, life was all about cushions and kitchenwares… who knew there were so many things one could buy for the home?
And then came the little people! And oh my goodness, Indie Shopaholic suddenly entered a whole new world of shopping! The little people are always growing, always learning and their interests ever-changing. The list of things to buy is seemingly never-ending and do not get me started on the number of birthday parties they get invited to.
So Indie Shopaholic found herself spending a fair amount of time (and money) in children’s shops and as we are always telling the little people, “it’s good to share”, I thought I would share with you some of the independent children’s shops in Calderdale that I’ve visited recently. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin.
Bookworms Bookshop
Did you love books as a child? I certainly did and my children are obsessed with books. Going to a bookshop is a real treat for them as they know that they are most likely going to come away with a new story book, or two.
Bookworms is adjacent to its sister shop The Book Corner, in The Piece Hall. The selection of books is really well curated by the passionate, book-loving staff. They stock books for book-lovers from babies to young adults (although maybe only the younger ones will appreciate the woodland-themed story corner). We particularly love the range of Inspirational Women books.
Books make a great gift (not least because they are so easy to wrap!) and Bookworms has a selection of cards and gift wrap, so it’s a one stop shop for those endless birthday parties.
Before you leave The Piece Hall, why not check out The Piece Hall Gift Shop. You might not know that they have a selection of toys, including sustainable brand Plan Toys. We fell in love with the wooden piggy banks but we also have our eyes on the bath toys. This is also a cool place to go if you want pocket money toys.
“The Piece Hall Gift Shop is run by The Piece Hall Trust, with money from every purchase going straight back into helping us maintain a sustainable future for The Piece Hall and keep it open for all.”
Also worth a mention at The Piece Hall is Brown Paper Packages, a lovely gift shop on the Rustic Level.
We absolutely love this ‘colour your own placemat’ by Eat Sleep Doodle. It comes in its own bag with fabric pens and is completely washable, absolute genius for eating out with little ones.
Ferox et Ferus is based in Ripponden, selling online via an etsy shop. You should definitely check them out if you are looking for fabulous, comfortable, gender-neutral clothes for your little people.
“ferōx et ferus translates from Latin as wild and untamed, but the words can also translate as ‘bold, headstrong, fierce, fearless, spirited and courageous.’ This brand is for those kids.”
Their customer service deserves a special mention too. Shortly after placing an order with Ferox et Ferus, I received a refund notification for my delivery charge and an email from the shop owner explaining that as my address was nearby, she would deliver the item to me herself and not charge for delivery. Now there’s an example of the great service you can get when you shop local!
Dolly Peg Boutique can be found in Westgate Arcade, Halifax, and they also have an online shop. Here you will find unique clothing, accessories and gifts for babies and children. My daughters include one tutu-lover and one dinosaur fan, so this shop has us covered! If you are in search of a baby gift, this is a lovely place to find something different.
We found some British-made, printed raincoats which are fabulous for spring. And there are also matching backpacks!
I hope this little tale of indie shopping for little people has inspired some more indie shoppers of Calderdale to #SpendItIndie. Please follow me on Twitter @indieshopaholic and let me know your favourite independent children’s shops using #SpendItIndie.
If you want to know more about me and why I want to spread the love for independent shops check out this blog post Confessions of an Indie Shopaholic.
