JOY TO THE WORLD.

Looking back, championing some retailers, brands and places that have brought joy.

Christmas, eh? Meant to be about joy. But where’s the joy in clicking and anxiously waiting for the Evri* delivery to be booted into your garden hedge? Indeed.

In this period of pre-festive end of year round-ups and predictions galore, I’d prefer to just look at what brought me joy this year, via a sort of brand - retail lens, cos that’s what this newsletter is about.

So here’s 12 things that brought me joy this year. Some ‘big’ brands. Some, not even brands, wouldn’t give a monkeys about the idea of a mission n vision.

Twelve Days of Christmas: a highly subjective NoS take on the year… here we go.

Keeping this short, cos it’s Xmas and get off your screen, so if you want context, comment or give me a nudge. Pics, author’s own: I believe in fieldwork.

01 Take one thing and do it better than anyone else | the best sandwiches in London… maybe the world? And a rock museum in the loo? Fkn yes. (Mondo sandwiches)

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02 Be reliable, be there | this place is the one. At least for me. (Parkside Cafe, SE22)

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03 Surprise your customer by offering way more than they could have reasonably expected | i’ll never go to a service station in Somerset again (Teal, Somerset)

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04 Keep the quality high, always. | publish good shit. It’s simple… yet it really isn’t (Park Books)

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05 Make friends, introduce people… even if you might intro them to your competitors | Host an event at a wine bar and invite two of your book selling pals to join (Tender Books)

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06 Why not try competing with the big boys? | David and Goliath is a loved story for a reason (Nothing)

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07 You can be anti-consumer culture but you can also sell good shit on your own terms. | 10foot. You know him but you don’t. He also makes editions. (Actually**)

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08 Your staff are the most important part of your brand. And, the ‘edit’, ofc. | Happened upon this place and it was 10/10 (Blues Store, Bristol)

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09 Make everyone feel welcome, whether they’re ‘known’ to you or not. | Let’s just say there’s a pub down the way that made me feel shit. Whereas this place: they offered to take my bags, gave me a seat at the bar. (The Crown, Penzance)

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10 Surprise me. | I’m not easily surprised, nor impressed by most of ‘experiential retail’ today. It lacks soul. But this doesn’t. You should go, freeze yer nuts off. Also: look at the film dome!!!(North Face, Regents Street)

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11 Be consistent. | Fell in love with this place more than a decade ago. Still going strong, posts a book or curiosity a day. I try not to miss it. (Rhythm & Books, Tokyo)

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12 Provide solace. | Went to a (genuinely) transcendental gig here earlier in the year. Have been back since just to sit. Sitting is good sometimes. (St Martins in the Fields, London)

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*shout out to Yodel for good app and service. Ho ho ho-del, amirite?

**brilliantly I can’t find the link for this site, which is fitting. Find it yrself!