Unique, affordable crafts and the warmest welcome
If you were looking for the most eye-catching shop window display in York, you might well find it on a most unprepossessing city street. Away from the big multiples on Coney Street, and just around the corner from Shambles Market, is Silver Street. Probably best known because it hosts one of York’s increasingly rare public conveniences, it is also home to an oasis of craft and colour.
Blueberry at Silver Street has a touch of magic about it. The window is always filled with unique handmade gifts, usually with a seasonal theme. For a recent Christmas, these included an angel made from the pages of an old book and mini fabric trees with button decorations.
Info
Address 5 Silver Street, York YO1 8RY, +44 (0)1904 638885, Facebook: Blueberry at Silver Street, www.blueberryacademy.co.uk, info@blueberryacademy.co.uk | Public Transport 5-minute walk from Shambles car park. Closest bus stop: Pavement | Hours Mon–Sat 10am–5pm| Tip If crafty bargains are your thing, browse the nearby market where some of York’s younger artisans are sharing their designs.
And unlike in some fancy homemade boutiques, the gifts are truly affordable, with prices starting around the £1 mark. Stocked with clever, beautiful things, from teacup candles to eggcup pincushions, redecorated furniture to LP clocks, it should be better known.
The Silver Street shop showcases the work of the Blueberry Academy, which offers support for adults with learning challenges, with a particular emphasis on promoting independence and employability. Many of the products stocked in the shop have been made by the Blueberry Co-op. As well as the creative work, the team works together on the design, planning, and marketing side of the business. The shopworkers themselves, meanwhile, get experience working in retail and customer service.
Those who have discovered Blueberry are evangelical about the shop. “Lovely staff, beautiful handmade and upcycled pieces,” reads one online review. “A hidden gem in the centre of York,” says another. Fresh ideas keep customers coming back: a recent invention is the lightbulb necklace, yours for £6 (with or without glitter). Can’t get to the shop? Blueberry also hosts an eBay channel with reviews as glowing as those necklaces.
Back
To the online map