Finding London’s Most Distinctive Shops

A bottle of gin, a Paddington bear or a wicker picnic hamper full of jam and scones — these are just a few of the purchases the 20 million international travelers pick up while visiting London each year, often at famous British retailers like Harrods and Fortnum & Mason.

But scattered across London are also small, specialized shops, some centuries old and crafting items by hand, that sell unique wares in spots full of wonder. These retailers are the favorites of politicians, celebrities and royalty — some display royal crests on windows and packaging, a sign that they have received royal warrants from the monarchy — and each has a story to tell of humble beginnings, of perseverance through fires and wars, pandemics and fickle tastes.

Here’s a selection of some of the most eccentric — or at least, distinctive.

HATS and caps

Lock & Co. Hatters

6 St. James’s Street

Founded in 1676, Lock & Co. is the oldest shop in London and the world’s oldest hat shop. Holding numerous royal warrants over the centuries, and currently a newly issued one from King Charles III, it has been at No. 6 St. James’s Street since 1759, when it moved across the road because the light was better. It’s a tall, narrow townhouse one might easily walk past. Winston Churchill is seen wearing its Cambridge and homburg hats in World War II photos; Adm. Horatio Nelson was wearing a Lock bicorn when he died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The Mad Hatter is reputedly based on a Lock salesman — Lewis Carroll was a customer. More recently, the actors Gary Oldman and Bill Nighy have been said to insist on Lock hats for film roles.