The Stroud District is bursting with fantastic independent retailers, from specialist shops to cute boutiques selling an array of handcrafted and artisanal products made by local people.
Venture outside your comfort zone next time you’re off to the shops and discover 15 hidden gems where you can pick up unique items you won’t find anywhere else – and feel good about supporting a local business, too!
Made in Stroud
Made in Stroud has won SGGLA Independent Shop of the Year for the last three years running!
The unique retailer stocks products made by crafters and makers from in and around Stroud, with everything from handmade soap, books by local authors, artisanal gin and original artwork on its shelves – not to mention a passionate team behind the counter.
Junglist Atelier in Nailsworth
Colourful plant shop, Junglist Atelier is a botanical haven in Nailsworth, selling everything from houseplants and pots to terrarium kits and specialist tools.
Promising the most ‘interesting, beautiful and badass aroids, cacti and succulents we can find’, green fingered Gloucestershire residents are bound to find a plant that suits their space – with the shop also collaborating with festivals and hospitality businesses to create bespoke plant arrangements for a variety of events and settings.
Cotswold Letterpress in Wotton-under-Edge
Bespoke print shop, Cotswold Letterpress in Wotton-under-Edge creates beautiful printed items, from letterheaded paper to wedding and party invitations.
Using a variety of techniques, from traditional letterpress to hot foil stamping, embossing and thermography, the independent shop caters for all kinds of customers – and offers a quick turnaround, too.
Painswick Fabrics
With customers coming from as far as London to get their hands on its discount designer fabrics, Painswick Fabrics has even been handpicked as an editor’s favourite in The Insider’s Guide from Vogue.
Savvy interior shoppers can enjoy up to 80 per cent off retail prices on its impressive collection of fabrics, with new stock arriving every day and owner, Tim Davies, on hand to offer his expert advice and help customers match fabrics to everything from carpet samples and paint colour charts to their favourite pieces of art.
Leaf and Ground in Dursley
Gorgeous garden centre, Leaf and Ground in Dursley is an oasis for horticulture enthusiasts, foodies and families, with plenty to keep them all happy. As well as a wide variety of seeds and bulbs; garden and house plants; tools; bird tables, feeders and wildlife habitats, it also has a deli full of local produce, a zero-waste shop and a café serving brunch, lunch, coffee and cake.
Little visitors can also burn off some energy in the castle-themed adventure play area, before tucking into an ice cream, or one of Leaf and Ground’s famous sausage rolls from The Hut. It’s dog-friendly, too!
Museum in the Park gift shop in Stroud
The gift shop at Stroud’s Museum in the Park has a diverse selection of homeware and gifts from local suppliers, including art prints, books, stationery and even beers and spirits – with every purchase helping to support the museum and preserve its important collection.
Museum in the Park also hosts pop-up shops from local artists and crafters selling unique handmade items from ceramics and tea towels to prints and sketch books.
Sourced in Stonehouse
Set up during the pandemic as a place for local artists and crafters to sell their products when craft fayres were cancelled, cute gift shop Sourced in Stonehouse gives makers a platform to sell their creations.
With everything from jewellery and clothing to handcrafted homewares like eco-friendly beeswax wraps, macrame plant pot holders, lampshades and bird boxes, the shop also stocks a range of Frenchic furniture paint, ideal for upcyclers.
Good Food on the Edge in Wotton-under-Edge
From fruit and veg boxes full of produce handpicked by shopkeeper Theresa Boyle, to fresh fish, seafood and even a selection of wines and spirits, Good Food on the Edge in Wotton-under-Edge is a fantastic spot for foodies.
As well as its rustic shop, Good Food on the Edge also runs a bar that’s open on Friday nights with live music and half price cocktails between 5pm and 7pm, as well as a restaurant headed by Kirsty King – who trained at the prestigious Leith’s School of Food and Wine and has worked with Michel Roux Jr. – serving a weekly-changing menu that champions local, seasonal produce.
Intersound Guitars in Dursley
Specialist guitar shop, Intersound Guitars in Dursley is run by a team of passionate music lovers and stocks a handpicked range of guitars, basses, banjos, ukuleles and mandolins, as well as amps, effects pedals and accessories.
Established over 20 years ago, its expert team don’t just sell instruments either, with the store offering servicing, repairs, maintenance and modifications at its specialist guitar workshop – not to mention free set-up on all new guitars sold.
The White Room in Minchinhampton
Bridal boutique The White Room in Minchinhampton is perhaps most famous for being the place where Zara Tindall bought her designer wedding gown.
As well as offering an exclusive collection of designer dresses from the likes of Savannah Miller and Jenny Packham; hair accessories; bags and shoes; the boutique also offers a made-to-measure service for brides looking for something completely unique.
Shiny Goodness in Nailsworth
For anyone looking to reduce the environmental impact of their regular shop, Shiny Goodness in Nailsworth offers a range of locally sourced products, vegan and free-from foods, natural remedies and a refill service to reduce waste.
With loose products like porridge oats; rice; pasta; dried beans and fruit; nuts; and cane sugar, as well as refills of shampoo, body wash, deodorant and cleaning products, shoppers can bring along their own containers to fill up and take home, eliminating unnecessary plastic waste.
Madia and Matilda in Stroud
British clothing brand, Madia and Matilda creates ethical fashion using upcycled fabrics and sustainable materials with zero waste.
From casual clothing to wedding attire, it prides itself on sustainability and inclusivity, handcrafting garments that are made to last at its studio and shop in Stroud.
From Home in Berkeley
From Home in Berkeley showcases quirky handmade items from local artists and crafters, with everything from petrol cans repurposed as lamps to hand-knitted cuddly toys.
The stylish store offers a selection of kitchen and homewares; clothing and jewellery; bath and beauty items; limited edition art prints and original works, as well as greetings cards and gifts.
Yellow-Lighted Bookshop in Nailsworth
Independent bookseller, the Yellow-Lighted Bookshop in Nailsworth offers a wonderful selection of fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles, including Booker Prize and Wainright Prize shortlisted books.
The shop prides itself on being as environmentally and socially responsible as possible, using recycled paper for its packaging and renewable energy to heat and light the store – providing an ethical alternative to big online booksellers.
Party On Up in Stroud
Stroud party shop, Party On Up offers an impressive selection of decorations, tableware, adults’ and kids’ costumes, not to mention sweetie-filled piñatas sure to make your latest bash a hit.
Its certified balloon artists can create showstopping centrepieces for a variety of events – and Party On Up is also one of the only party shops that stocks plastic-free latex balloons; uses only dedicated balloon gas to inflate its balloons, instead of pure helium that’s needed for medical use; and recycles foil and bubble balloons and balloon weights purchased at the store.
