Find it in Exeter

This week’s #FinditinExeter is the wonderfully eclectic Mantis, a charming jewellery and accessory shop located on Gandy Street, Exeter, specialising in contemporary silver and gemstone designs. The business is owned by Philippa Rutherford and her husband Nigel, a contemporary jewellery artist specialising in pieces inspired by nature with intricate designs. Mantis is a place where ideas and designs come to life. The InExeter team spoke to Philippa who shared five secrets of their success…

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum is at the forefront of Exeter’s activity for Chinese New Year: one of the world’s most widely celebrated festivals.

For our second #FinditInExeter article we visited the RAMM and spoke with Neil Heasman, events coordinator within the audience development team, to learn about his integral role at one of Exeter’s largest cultural attractions and to gain an exclusive insight to the museum’s free ‘Chinese Collections Trail’. The trail is aimed at families and comprises of nine exquisite artefacts across four of the museum’s galleries.

Since the eighteenth century, Britain has been one of the world’s greatest tea consumers and with its vintage vibes The Hidden Treasure Tea Room in Exeter is buzzing with customers who love its nostalgic décor and homemade treats.

This week’s #FinditinExeter is The Hidden Treasure Tea Room, located on Fore Street; this gem of a café is an absolute delight for tea lovers and those with a sweet-tooth.

Nestled on South Street, Trugs has been one of the most treasured Exeter businesses since 1990. The business was previously owned by a lady who had a vision to push the boundaries of design and service. Twenty-eight years later and keeping with that same ethos, Edward Moorman is the owner of this beautiful florist.

Tucked away amongst the cobbles of the Exeter Cathedral, Orvis is the city centre’s clothing store which is jam-packed with items fit for adventure – including a fantastic Barbour outlet.

Established by Charles Orvis over 125 years ago, Orvis sought to endorse a passion for wildlife and the great outdoors. We visited owner Paulette at the Exeter store to discover how her delightful shop still prospers today with the same founding ethos.

Hutch is the pop-up indoor jungle tucked away on Paris Street, bursting with an enormous selection of glorious terrariums and houseplants.

Shop owners Frankie & Rob recently moved to Exeter from Birmingham. The pair were seeking an opportunity to escape mundane office life and replace it with a fresh start where they could finally do something for themselves.

Nestled in the heart of the city lies the magnificent building of Exeter Phoenix, and since the 90’s the organisation has been bursting with creativity and passion for the arts.

The vibrant, multi-artform venue is a place for people to feel at home and unleash their ultra-creative skills celebrating art, craft, music, theatre, film and more with art galleries, an auditorium for gigs and shows, a cinema, a radio station, a print workshop and a café.

For this week’s #FinditinExeter we visited Toot Garook, a beautifully presented vibrant gift and lifestyle store located on Queen Street.  Spread over two floors of a beautiful Victorian building and packed full of stunning homeware, there really is something for everyone and every occasion.

Roly’s Fudge is known across the UK for their incredible tasting fudge. Here in Exeter, we absolutely love our Roly’s Fudge pantry and think they make some very delicious sweet treats.

Sancho’s is an independent clothing store dedicated to ethical fashion. We visited the store on Fore St to get to know driven business owner, Kalkidan, who talked us through her journey nurturing Sancho’s, ethical fashion & their ethos, life on Fore St and some of her favourite collections.

Right in the heart of Exeter on Queen Street, lies a beautiful award winning contemporary gift shop full of life’s simple pleasures. Hyde and Seek in Exeter is the ultimate place for your entire gift, toy and homeware needs that burst with colour and extravagance.

This weekend some of our independent retailers will be at Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink selling some of their fantastic products. Held in Northernhay Gardens and Exeter Castle, the festival celebrates the best Food and Drink within the South West. It’s going to be a brilliant weekend and we couldn’t help but give you a sneak peek into some of the retailers you might find at the festival…

With the royal couple Harry & Meghan soon to be wed next week and the peak of wedding season fast approaching, we thought it would only be fitting to do a #FinditinExeter on wedding accessories inspiration.

For this week’s #FinditinExeter we visited the incredibly beautiful Brogue Trader located in the Cathedral Yard. The business sells exclusive bespoke, handmade shoes that are classic with exceptional quality.

For this week’s #FinditInExeter we popped in to see Emma Vowes, founder and creative force behind Busby & Fox. Busby & Fox is a contemporary independent lifestyle shop, and is now one of the newest residents along the cobbles of Cathedral Close.

The Real Food store is a haven for anyone with a passion for food. Supplying everything from artisan breads, cereals and chocolate, fresh seasonal veg, eggs and dairy or household toiletries.

Located on Queen Street next to Central Station, the store is in an ideal location for anyone living in or visiting the city.

At the heart of Exeter lies the magnificent Cathedral, which is known for its captivating history and beautiful architecture. The building was founded in 1050 and is the #1 attraction in Exeter in the city. The architecture is just breath taking, and enthralling too, with a story behind every tile and brick laid.

For this week’s #FinditinExeter we visited the outstanding House of Harris, which you can find perfectly nestled in Goldsmith Square, overlooking St Pancras Church in the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

For this week’s #FinditinExeter we visited the wonderful MOKO on Gandy Street, a place full of inspiring pieces for the home and gifts for those special people in your life.

For this week’s #FinditInExeter we visited Nicky Edmunds, founder at Princesshay’s indie hidden treasure, Insideout.

The idea to open a contemporary lifestyle shop sprung to life after Nicky’s son was born, just over fourteen years ago. She felt it was time to leave her busy London life and retreat to Devon, where she could go back to her art and design roots and immerse herself in an exciting business venture.

This week we meandered down Fore St to visit Hayley and Nathan Maker at their much-loved second home: No Guts No Glory. NGNG is a houseplant, design and lifestyle shop, as well as a treasured chill zone to escape busy city life and enjoy a coffee and a good read.

Nestled in the heart of Fore Street, The Real McCoy is one of Exeter’s most beloved vintage clothing shops. This popular indie is located in Exeter’s West Quarter which has for many years been one of Exeter’s hubs of independent retail.

Trading for nearly six years and situated on Little Castle Street, Monty’s Beads is the home of creative jewellery in the heart of the city.

Rebecca and Andrew are the proud owners of this little gem, and showcase many beautiful products: from gemstone beads to freshwater pearls – it is a jewellery maker’s heaven.

The Polka Dot Gallery found on Martins Lane is one of the many wonderful jewellers Exeter has to offer. This hidden gem is a treasure trove of jewellery crafted by talented makers at the top of their game.

Many of the artists who stock their pieces at Polka draw on their own life experiences and inspirations to create wearable art / jewellery.

We have officially reached August, which means we are all enjoying the summer and all of this wonderful sunshine.  Imagine a place where you can relax with a cocktail in the sun, on a rooftop terrace over Exeter, whilst indulging in a delicious meal. Sounds like heaven, right? Well, you are in luck.

Wandering around Princesshay in Exeter, you’d be forgiven for believing that there is nothing to see below ground level. In fact, hidden deep below the pavement lies Exeter’s best kept secret – a maze of passages dating back to the 14^th Century.

Blink and you’ll miss it. Devon Coffee can be considered one of Exeter’s hidden gems, squeezed into a tiny spot on Queen Street. But once you discover it, you’ll want to keep it to yourself – it’s friendly, cosy, and charming, and the perfect place to put your feet up at the end of a long day.

Damien Carberry is one of Exeter’s most passionate and beloved independent business owners. The tailor shop located on the corner of Guinea Street, is a hidden gem offering a bespoke tailoring service.

Only a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Exeter High Street, lays a friendly and stylish gastro pub which has grown to be one of Exeter’s go-to places for a night out.

The Oddfellows boasts a top floor hidden delight for dancing and cocktails – the popular Speakeasy bar. One of Exeter’s top nights out and the oldest cocktail bar in Exeter, the Speakeasy has a fantastic selection of over 50 premium cocktails as well as traditional spirits.

Situated in the grand period property that was once The Old City Library in Exeter, you will find the beautifully designed head office for the estate agency Wilkinson Grant & Co.

Roger Wilkinson founded the company in 1995 in the town of Topsham. Built on high energy and hard work, the Wilkinson Grant & Co team of four individuals and one office, has grown to an experienced fifty-strong team across three offices in Topsham, Exeter and most-recently Exmouth.

Located just two doors away from Exeter’s Central Station is one of the city’s most iconic eateries, Exploding Bakery. Serving up third wave coffee, wholesome lunches, and their famous tray bakes, to a soundtrack of toe tapping tunes, makes it the ultimate meeting spot.

Nestled just behind Exeter’s High Street is Circa 1924, the city’s independent Seafood & Steakhouse. Established three years ago, by childhood friends Rob and James, Circa 1924 is the destination for all occasions.

For this week’s Find it in Exeter we caught up with La Bella Bridal Boutique owner, Debbie, and chatted about bridal gowns, lingerie, and bespoke fashion.

Situated on South Street, the beautiful boutique gives customers a unique experience into the world of bridal fashion and special occasion wear.  Keeping customer service as their number one priority, Debbie goes above and beyond for her customers.

Step away from Exeter’s main high street and you will come across the gorgeous delight that is Erin Cox Jewellery.

The namesake shop and studio of fine jewellery maker Erin Cox has been tucked away in Castle Street for 8 years now. Born in Exeter, Erin went on to study fine jewellery at London Guildhall University before returning to Devon, the county that has always inspired her exquisite designs.

For this week’s Find It in Exeter we stepped back to another era, and visited Hayley of Frocks In Swing Time, and chatted all things vintage.

Situated on Fore Street, this fabulous emporium of retro-inspired delights is fresh on Exeter’s independent scene, having only just opened in March of this year.

Are you a tea fanatic who finds yourself leaving speciality tea in unexplored territory? Well, it’s time to embrace the loose leaf because The House of Hope & Mercy in the Jungle is here to make sense of it all.

This week with caught up with James, who is one half of The House of Hope & Mercy in the Jungle team alongside his partner Jane, the find out what makes their tea shop a destination not to be missed in Exeter.

Beware… the following text contains details of the most frightening and gory Halloween costumes in Exeter.

For this week’s Find it in Exeter, we paid a visit to Fantasy World, based on Fore Street. After a spooky visit, it was obvious that any customer visiting would be spoilt for choice.

For this week’s #FindItInExeter we caught up with Abi, from Ink, to celebrate their spooky 10^th Birthday and talk about all things body art.

Ink opened its doors in North Street on Halloween 2008, and since then they have firmly established themselves as one of Exeter’s most in demand tattoo and piercing studios.

For this week’s Find It InExeter we wandered down to Fore Street to catch up with Sam at Jelly; Exeter’s inspiring and nurturing pre-loved children’s retail store.

Jelly stocks a colourful collection of donated items including baby goods, clothing, toys and books covering ages up to 11+ years.

Tucked away on Upper Paul Street, you will find the beautiful small shop that has a very big heart, Georgie & Flo.

Curators of lovely things made by local people, the team of three; Emily, Emmy and Sophie, have filled Georgie & Flo with handmade and ethical products that offer something unique and special to their customers.

A few steps away from Exeter’s main high street in Roman Gate, is Lemonade Hair Company.

Fresh on the Exeter hairdressing scene and as bubbly as the name suggests, for this week’s #FindItInExeter we caught up with Hannah, the lovely lady behind it all.

If you’re a frequent visitor to Fore Street, you may have noticed the new women’s fashion store ‘The Black Pearl’, managed by Stacey Masters.

As the newest shop on the block, Stacey described Fore Street as “an exciting hive of independents that are extremely passionate about what they are selling.”

Have you ever struggled to find the right pair of glasses? For this week’s Find it in Exeter we paid a visit to Speccies, to find out how they can help you make the right purchase, every time.

Focusing on customer service as number one priority, Shane, the manager at Speccies makes sure  every single customer has a one to one experience.

For our final #FindItInExeter of 2018 we paid a visit to Zebel Bespoke on Fore Street, the Exeter independent that is creating the ultimate old-school, made to measure tailoring experience.

Opened in 2018 Sacred Grounds has truly made its mark on Exeter. For our very first #FindItInExeter of 2019 we caught up with the plant-based brunch café, to find out how combining their love of plants, food, coffee and community under one sacred roof proved a recipe for success, and your destination for Veganuary.

If your new year’s resolution is to be star baker, then make Bake your number #1 shop for 2019.

Filled to the brim with baking and sugarcraft supplies, for this week’s #FindItInExeter we caught up with Natalie at her shop on Paris Street to discover everything you could possibly need for baking sweet and savoury treats.

Do you dream of owning a classic Chanel handbag or a LBD courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana but don’t have the bank account to match? Then put a visit to My Ex Wardrobe on the top of your to do list.

For this week’s #FindItInExeter we headed to Gandy Street to catch up with Jenna, owner of My Ex Wardrobe, and get the lowdown on her fashion agency.