DolceLoca You may wonder why there is a picture of Sante Fe (New Mexico) above? Well, that’s because it’s the opposite of a clone town. You know exactly if you visit Sante Fe where you are, because the area is unique, the buildings are unique, and the shops are unique. The city has preserved its…
indie shops
how to save your local indie pub
Chris Williamson England is full of traditional pubs, full of the murmur of voices chatting over a real ale, or enjoying a traditional pub lunch. But indie pubs are now closing country-wide, overtaken by chain pubs like Wetherspoons (which don’t even allow dogs outside their pubs) and those that take seats away to encourage ‘vertical…
a Californian idea to promote indie shops
DolceLoca LaJolla is a beautiful little seaside town just outside San Diego in California. What their council website does is quite inventive, and something that all councils could do here, to promote local shops. Each week, it features a ‘limelight merchant’. It profiles an indie shop or cafe, then interviews the owners and that particular…
save your local indie greengrocer
Urban Anna Studio There was a time when every town and village had an independent greengrocer, where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, taking your own reusable produce bags. Obviously it’s not always possible (and most people still have to buy from mass supermarkets, so don’t feel guilty about it). But if you do…
how to save your local indie cafe
Liededrom England now seems to be a nation of chain store coffee shops. But how much nicer it is to support a local tea room or an indie coffee shop. In fact, only a third of people in England drink coffee (and most people who drink tea or coffee do indeed still make it at…