Strange

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Posted 2014-04-10 by Mike Whyte ⇒ follow

This is one of those shops that I have seen ever since I first moved to London from the North of England (more than 15 years ago). It is an intriguing place, though you probably won't really remember it by name, but more by description - anyway, for the record - it is called ...

So - for the description - this is the shop that is located half-way between Cambridge Circus and Leicester Square on Charing Cross Road, and across the road from Chinatown. It famously sells a range of, what can best be described as curiosities - punk adornments, goth accessories, steam-punk goods...just about anything you could want counter-culturewise, without knowing where to get it from.

Let's have a look then...you will probably know the shop from the window display, as well as what you can see through the window and into the shop. It is literally packed floor to ceiling with pieces of jewellery, candle holders, t-shirts, coasters and even more curious objects ( a hooded skull toilet roll holder is definitely one that springs to mind).

If you have a taste for the slightly quirky or the macabre, or you know someone who has, then this is going to be one of those shops you will instantly think of when it comes to interesting birthday presents, or gifts for people you commonly find it difficult to buy for in more mainstream stores.

So, with everything from body piercing pieces to steam-punk skulls to tempt you to part your money from your wallet, it is one of those places you probably don't visit as much as you should - personally I would say it is worthy of the visit for the fact it exists on what was previously one of the most important independent bookshop streets in London - more independent than the independents seems to me to be a good enough reason to go in itself...