To celebrate Small Business Saturday, the Mail's Retail Therapist Lucy Lyon picks out her favourite independent shops. Looking for great Christmas gift ideas? Check out what on offer with our guide to ten top independent stores.
Are you waiting in for yet another parcel to arrive from Amazon today? Or maybe got a delivery coming from Tesco with your pre-Christmas shop? Well, hold on a minute because today is, wait for it, Small Business Saturday.
Hardly the most catchy of titles, it has to be said, but the ethos behind it is a lot more tolerable than the feast of frenzied consumerism they call Black Friday (which, by the way, I avoided like proverbial plague: I have never queued outside Asda in my life and I don't intend ever to do so. Particularly not for the sake of £20 off an unbranded telly).
Small Business Saturday, as you might imagine, has been designated the day to persuade shoppers away from the faceless conglomerates and to start spending their hard-earned Christmas cash on local enterprising souls.
Like many of these things, it is an import from the US.
But unlike many of the American traditions creeping onto these shores, it really makes a lot of sense. Why, on these very pages a few weeks ago I put in a low-key plea for readers to support their local retailers and manufacturers.
And now there is a whole day dedicated to it. Hurrah!
We are, of course, very lucky in this area as the city is liberally scattered with independent retailers, eateries and other businesses. And while there is no way to name-check all those who are flying the flag for entrepreneurial spirit in East Yorkshire, I did think it would be a timely idea to have a think about a few of those names we know and love.
When it comes to swanky dining out, you would be hard-pushed to beat 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, but you only have to wander down Princes and Newland Avenue to realise that we are really spoilt for choice – with ever more seemingly opening monthly.
For fantastic food on the run, there is myriad chippies where you can grab a patty butty or splash out on a full fish supper.
Having introduced the Lyon cubs to Hull Pie, recently, however, it has to be said we are enjoying our street food encased in pastry at the moment.
Clothes-wise, you can choose from the fast fashion of Lilliz Boutique, slap bang in the city centre, or opt for the quirky student-friendly fayre from Tessies in Newland Avenue.
You can also find a touch of elegance in Bourne in Cottingham or Samantha's in Chanterlands Avenue, which has been catering to the ladies of East Yorkshire for more than 40 years.
Men aren't forgotten, either with Bob Greens of Princes Avenue offering a fantastic array of classic designer clothing and Reads Footwear in Savile Street, which, to my mind, offers some of the best footwear in the city.
And then, of course, there are high-end vintage shops, such as Poor Boy Boutique, Chinese Laundry and the dozens of retailers that travel round the region from market to market, sometimes freezing their fingers off for the sake of tempting us out of some cash.
There are, of course, hundreds more independent outlets all around the region. Don't be mad if your favourite has not been mentioned: just get in touch and let us know.
We can always send out a Shop Spy to see what they think.
