Shopping can be considered a personal topic as every person has specific shopping preferences, but it is possible to give advice on the best places to shop in an area. With a fair share of high-street chain stores, mainly concentrated around the city centre; however, there are several other types of shopping experiences to be had. Fortunately, if you are not a chain store type, there are several quirky boutiques, unique craft markets, groceries and antique stalls that can be perused.
DPH Legal’s solicitors are also located in this beautiful historic city.
1. City Centre
The centre of Oxford, also known as the city centre, can be described as being similar to any other small city with the exception that it houses a large and beautiful university. Regarding shopping, the two malls located in the city centre include the Westgate Centre and the Clarendon Centre. Each offers the typical experiences offering clothing stores, coffee shops, and jewellery storage options.
The Cornmarket and Queen Street shopping options offer the usual chain market choices regarding jewellery, clothing and electrical goods; however, these shopping streets do hide certain gems in the mix.
The High Street, located between Queen and Cornmarket, specialises in antique stores and high-end boutiques. Unfortunately, while there are unique items to be found on High Street, they are also costly, and you will need to search for bargains.
Broad Street is the home to all book lovers, artists, and specialist clothing shoppers, and was the location of the first Oxfam store in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, if you follow Broad Street to meet Cornmarket, you will discover a true wonder that is the area’s oldest family-run department store, Boswell & Company.
Heading away from the city centre and you will note that various areas in the city have particular characteristics with each offering unique shopping experiences. For example, if you want to purchase exclusive baby clothing, then you could head to Summertown. However, if you are searching for organic fairtrade clothing, then it would be best to head to the East of the city and stay away from the more expensive city centre.
2. East of the City
All visitors to the area will discover that Cowley Road in the Eastern part is a great location for evening shenanigans, but if you do not live in the area, you may not discover its daytime extravaganzas. From one end of the area to another are small businesses filled with multicultural energy from a diverse community.
Beginning at Plain Street, you can encounter The Ballroom with racks of formal wear, costumes, vintage clothing, and silk scarves. Head a little way up the road, and you will find Eau de Vie – a small and exclusive shop selling organic cosmetics and yoga clothing.
For the traditional hippies, the Bombay Emporium offers large woolly hoodies in various colours; however, if you are more fashion-conscious, then you can head to Indigo, a store stocking fairtrade clothing from companies such as Braintree and People Tree.
Should you have energy after running from store to store, you can venture further up Cowley Road to peruse the different charity shops and see what they have to offer.
While you can find a different restaurant for each night of the week in the East, it may be exciting to purchase ingredients and cook a healthy dinner. The East caters for vegan and vegetarian customers with stores like Uhuru selling gluten-free products and whole foods.
For a spicier option with exotic fruits, try heading to the Eastern and Continental stores or Tahmid Stores. For high-quality meat, consider visiting Alder’s the butcher or travelling to the farmer’s market at the Primary School early on a Saturday morning.
3. North Part of the City
Slightly north of the city centre is a lovely street known as North Parade. This street is filled with pubs, shops and restaurants that are reminiscent of rural France with bright colours and geranium-filled hanging baskets.
It is in the North of the city that you can locate the spectacular crafts and art at Taurus Gallery at an affordable price. If you would rather enjoy a meal and drink, then why not spend some time eating and drinking the best of UK food at 2 North Parade?
Final Words
As can be seen, there are various aspects to the city beyond the university when it comes to shopping here. Using the information above, you can find the best shopping options for your needs.
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