Wood Street Market -E17

I first stumbled upon Wood Street Market a couple of years ago and fell in love with it’s humble East End charm. One of Walthamstow’s hidden gems, it was built in 1912 and it’s indoor parade of quaint shops have remained virtually untouched.

The past year has seen some major changes in the market, and refurbishments have provided a gentle facelift. But the original charm remains in tact! A flock of new traders have taken over the empty booths, and the market is once again a lively hub of activity.

Thankfully, some of the original traders are still there – selling everything from second hand furniture, collectible antiques and vintage records – while the new residents offer a range of arts and crafts.  Customised and vintage clothes, up-cycled furniture, handmade prints and bespoke cakes are just a few of the things on offer in this little treasure.

GiGi’s Dressing Room offers a beautiful range of carefully selected vintage dresses which can be bought or hired for special occasions. The innovative owner also provides a dressing room service where you can be styled for a night out. A selection of fabulously up-cycled furniture and Decopatch lamps are also on sale under the sparkling piles of vintage jewellery. It's like being in Aladdin’s Cave!

Forsaken Dreams has a great range of retro furniture on offer, all at reasonable prices, as well as some fully stocked racks of vintage clothes. A beautiful selection of handmade cards are also available here, as well as in some of the other shops.

There’s something for the boys too, and once they’ve finished browsing through the piles of records, Carbon 28 will keep them entertained. The design company create ethical hand printed t-shirts and jumpers in a range of cool graphic prints. Their Storm-Trooper art prints would make a great gift for any sci-fi fan, and their DIYnosaur Lamps – a series of build it yourself flat-pack kits – are a touch of genius!

There's lots more on offer, and with new vendors cropping up all the time, it's definitely worth exploring. It's all indoors too, so it's the perfect market for some winter shopping!

When you’re finished, rest your feet in the tea shop or cafe and soak up the friendly atmosphere of the place. A visit to the market makes a perfect afternoon out, and be sure to check out I Love Marketsfor information on up-coming events.

Blog by our roaming market blogger, Amy Exton. Have you registered yet? Come and join us at www.ilovemarkets.com