The Mercantile

It’s like Anthropologie’s slightly more down to earth older sister that has her own flat and a real job.
One of the last independents in Spitalfields.
And what a damn fine job they do of it. If you are shopping in the area, do not miss it.
I absolutely love The Mercantile. It’s one of my favorite shops in London to poke around in and enjoy. The collection strikes a very delicate balance of nice, but not overly spendy. You can easily find a few things that will increase your joy, but not deplete your bank account. Mostly women’s clothing and accessories (jewelry, shoes, scarves, etc) but also a fair amount of home goods (candles, frames, bits and bobs).
What is the stand out factor? The sheer number of items. You know those shops you go into that are SO BEAUTIFUL, but like, there are about 8 items in the store. You know in about 8 seconds if you want to stay in there or not, usually not. Well, the Mercantile is the opposite. There are things EVERYWHERE. Hanging from the walls, stashed in corners, piled in cute heaps, everywhere. You could look for hours and I guarantee you wouldn’t have seen everything. It’s like a treasure hunt. So enjoyable.
DO NOT MISS THE BASEMENT. That’s where all my finds come from. Brave those steep stairs and get your soon-​to-​be-​more-​stylish self down there.
My most recent visit yielded:
*Herschel bag (half off, now £28!), which has made me a much hipper mum (using as nappie bag!)
*Gorgeous scarf — just £20. Not even on sale, it was just not very high priced. Beautiful.
Perfect spot for gift shopping, for others — or, for yourself! It’s a regular on my rotation.