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Shopping
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Despite the relentless advance of the big chains, it's still possible to track down some characterful and unusual shops in central Edinburgh.
Princes Street
, one of Britain's most famous shopping streets, is all but dominated by standard chain outlets, though no serious shopper should miss out on a visit to Edinburgh's venerable department store, Jenners, at no. 48 opposite the Scott Monument. More fashionable upmarket shops and boutiques are to be found on parallel
George Street
, while for more original outlets, head for
Cockburn Street
, a hub for trendy clothes and record shops. On
Victoria Street
and in and around the
Grassmarket
you'll find an eclectic range of antique and arts and crafts shops plus some antiquarian booksellers.
Books Long-standing Edinburgh bookseller James Thin has large shops at 53-59 South Bridge and 57 George St. Waterstone's is, at present, the only major chain in Edinburgh, with branches at 128 Princes St, 13-14 Princes St and 83 George St. There's a good selection of antiquarian and second-hand bookshops: Peter Bell, 68 West Port; Castle Books, 20 Rankeillor St; West Port Books, 147 West Port; and McNaughtan's Bookshop 3a-4a Haddington Place, Leith Walk. Haggis Charles MacSween & Son, Dryden Road, Bilston Glen, Loanhead (tel 0131/440 2555), has an international reputation, and also makes a tasty vegetarian version; buy it from the factory or various outlets around Edinburgh, such as the Food Hall in Jenners, 48 Princes St, or Peckhams, 155-159 Bruntsfield Place. Music Check out Avalanche, 17 West Nicolson St, 28 Lady Lawson St and 63 Cockburn St for indie music; Coda, 12 Bank St, for contemporary Scottish folk and roots music; and Vinyl Villains, 5 Elm Row, for second-hand records, tapes and ephemera. Tartan Kinloch Anderson, on the corner of Commercial and Dock streets, Leith, has a large showroom; Geoffrey Tailor, 57-59 High St, is one of the largest and most respected retailers on the Royal Mile - they also have a shop in the Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Co by the Castle Esplanade, where "live" weaving takes place. Whisky Royal Mile Whiskies, 379-381 High St; William Cadenhead, 172 Canongate.
Woollen goods
Bill Baber Knitwear, 66 Grassmarket, has garments designed and made on the premises; Ragamuffin, 2a St Mary's St, features Skye knitwear. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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United Kingdom,
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