A Different Kind of Mallrat


Being a true blood American, I struggled to function in the London shopping scene upon our arrival. I could write a dissertation on the link between the downfall of society and its relationship to high street shopping, with an emphasis on knowing-what-one-thing-you-want vs the effort it takes to get that thing in an environment that is adverse to either the casual browsing or targeted purchasing experience.

Whew.

I wondered how Londoners functioned without shopping malls. After some time I heard about a mythical place called Westfield, an American style collection of the most popular shops – a mall. That’s lovely, but it is a long way to go when I need a small thing or a particular thing which is not guaranteed to be in that wonderland.

It took me nearly two years to put it together, but the epiphany hit me on Sunday like a hot latte. London does have shopping malls! They are hidden in plain site. Here they call them ‘train stations’. I am going to let you future Huddleston B&B guests on a little secret.

St Pancras is a closet mall.
hamleys

sourced market
Sourced carries Monmouth Coffee. They also carry organic and locally sourced frosty beverages, among other things of course.

cinnamon tree bakery
Borough Market is closed during your visit? Local bakers sell their goods at Sourced, too.

peyton and byrne
Look at those Mallrats… They look just like travelers.

wilton and Noble
Made in England. Kiss my big toe Oxford Street.

fat face

These are just a few. We’ve got Fossil and Neuhaus, too. This does not solve all of my problems, but it does comfort me to know that there is a late night Marks and Spencer nearby… Dang, Gina – it took me a long time to see what’s been staring me in the face all this time.


2 responses to “A Different Kind of Mallrat”

  1. St. P is one of my favorite shopping experiences. Westfield seems little too much like an airport concourse.