| At a time when traditional stores are threatened by major chains, the authors of Still Open made it their mission to preserve these disappearing links to London’s history – if only on paper
WORDS SALLY VENABLES WITH STEVE WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY TONY FRENCH AND BRIAN BENSON
I became interested in traditional shops when I first moved toEast London, six years ago. Each day on my way to work I would walk past a Victorian pie and mash shop and drink coffee at Pellicci’s, a café that has been operating for more than 100 years. I loved the character of these places, the feeling of stepping back in time. As an interior designer, I was fascinated by the bygone fashions embodied in their incredible décor; the 19th-century countertops, the bentwood chairs of the 1940s, the chrome of the ’30s, the Formica of the ’50s. During the years I lived in East London, I noticed the landscape of the high street changing. Some of the friendly shops I had grown used to were under threat, some of them literally disappearing overnight. My interest became more active and I began to seek out traditional shops all over the city, determined to preserve them – at the very least on paper.
Still Open: The Guide To Traditional London Shops is published by Black Dog Publishing Limited (ISBN 1 904772 44 7, US$19.99)
Algerian Coffee Stores (2, 4, 6, 
One of London’s most renowned coffee and tea retailers, Algerian Coffee Stores was established way back in 1887. Having learnt the business from their father and grandfather, Marisa Crocetta and her sister now run the busy shop. More than 100 types of coffees and teas are sold from great sacks behind the counter. Up until recently, coffee was roasted on-site, but new environmental laws put a stop to that. However, the rich smell of coffee still filters out to the pavement whenever the door is left open, enticing customers inside. Much of the passing trade are regulars who remember stories of how things in Soho used to be when Maria’s mother ran the shop, or theatre goers and tourists enjoying the pleasures of English tea. Its popularity has triggered a large wholesale and shipping operation to other countries, primarily Japan, and the sisters run this from the various other rooms in the building. Algerian Coffee Stores, 52 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1
James Lock & Co (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)
James Lock was established in 1676, during the reign of Charles II. It is one of the oldest family owned and run businesses in the world and is still London’s leading hatters and milliners. Robert Davis first established his business in Bishopsgate but moved to the current premises in 1765. His granddaughter’s husband, James Lock, took over the business after Davis’s death in 1759, and their descendants continue to run the shop. Over the centuries, clientele has included Admiral Lord Nelson, who wore a Lock hat at Trafalgar, Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, Sir Lawrence Olivier, General de Gaulle, Salvador Dali, Graham Greene and perhaps most famous of all, Charlie Chaplin, whose bowler hat was invented here in 1850. James Lock & Co, 6 St James’s Street, St James’s, W1
James Smith & Sons (10)
“Outside every silver lining is a big black cloud” is James Smith & Sons’ motto, and when it comes to British weather, they’re usually right! This shop has an international reputation for making umbrellas, sticks and gentlemen’s canes. James Smith founded his shop in 1830 at Foubert Street in London’s West End. His son, also James Smith, moved the business to its current premises in 1867, and it has remained in the family ever since. The shop (a Grade II-listed shop, inside and out) is an evocative reminder of the Victorian period. It retains all the original fittings designed and made by master craftsmen employed by the business. The shop front must have resembled many other shop fronts of the period, and is a work of art in itself. James Smith & Sons, 53 New Oxford Street, W1
Maison Bertaux Café (12, 14, 16, 18)
A little French patisserie and tearoom founded in 1871, this charming Soho institution is a must-see. The proprietor, Michele Wade, creates a cosy, loving atmosphere. The shop window displays a wonderful selection of cakes tempting customers inside. The décor is flamboyant with pink netting strewn across the lamp fittings as if a party is about to start. A piano sits in the corner waiting to be played, the counter is centre stage and small round tables and dark polished walnut bentwood chairs are scattered about the room. Behind the counter is a fantastic display of oddments and pictures collected by Michele over the years, and this adds to the tearoom’s quirky, nostalgic atmosphere. All the cakes and pastries are baked on-site in the kitchen on the top floor, and alongside the kitchen is a little rickety room with more seating.
Maison Bertaux, 28 Greek Street, Soho, W1
DR Harris & Co (13, 15, 19)
DR Harris & Co is one of London’s oldest pharmacies and has been operating in St James’s Street for more than 200 years. It was opened in 1790 at number 11, and it specialised in selling lavender water, classic cologne and English flower perfumes. Being in the heart of the land of gentlemen’s clubs, customers have ranged from ambassadors and statesmen to field marshals and admirals. Throughout the years the chemist has also served various members of the royal family. In 1938, it was granted the royal warrant as chemist to Her Majesty the Queen, and in 2002 it received a further royal warrant as chemist to the Prince of Wales. It moved to its present site at number 29 in 1963. The Victorian interior was faithfully restored, to remind customers of its established credentials.
DR Harris & Co, 29 St James’s Street, St James’s, W1
Number One Telegraph Street (11, 17)
Tucked away at the end of an alleyway and down a mirror-lined staircase is a fabulous authentic barbershop that has been trading since 1909. The original barber who established the place worked at the shop until his death at the age of 87. The current proprietor, Mr Kyriacou, originally from Cyprus, took over the business in 1970 and he has been working there ever since. Despite its discrete location, this establishment is still very popular, and every lunch hour brings a rush of City boys in need of a haircut. The interior is well worn – the patched-up barber chairs that date back to the late 1930s are tired-looking – but all this adds to the charm of the place.
Number One Telegraph Street, 1a Telegraph Street, City, EC2 |
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