Editorial
NEXT OF KIN: Birkenstock’s Naples Mule
3 March 2023Finding community within shared spaces and Birkenstock’s Naples Mule, the proprietors of Newcastle upon Tyne’s Grainger Market have made the historic indoor market place a hub of community and culture.
A mere stone’s throw from END.’s Grainger Street Womenswear store – the former home of END. Menswear – the Grainger Market is a historic and important hub of commerce located in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne’s bustling city centre. Opened in 1835, the indoor market has spent nearly two centuries providing for the people of the North Eastern city, and it continues to serve an important function in the modern day rendition of the city.
A hub for community and culture within the city centre, the Grainger Market is home to a variety of family operated businesses, nestled amongst the avenues of the Grade I listed building. From traditional grocers and florists to modern independent businesses, the concept of family has shifted from family to community. Finding family within their businesses and throughout the wider network of the market’s community, the traders of the sprawling site exemplify a modern attitude – where your community is your next of kin.
From the market’s zero waste refill store Nil Living to Spanish tapas and cocktail bar La Gamba and the historic butchers, Oliver & Eden, the Grainger Market is their undisputable home. “It’s like a family, but it’s a family of really different, diverse people,” said Oliver & Eden’s Jerry. Creating a community that celebrates the diversity of the city, the traders at the heart of the market offer a warm presence that welcomes everyone with open arms; “we were warmly welcomed when we first came in, even though it was a completely different concept of a shop to what’s already in here,” says Nil Living’s Jess. Encapsulating this attitude, the Grainger Market continues to provide for the city’s inhabitants, shifting with the times while retaining a traditional outlook on what can be achieved through community and an attitude of acceptance.
BIRKENSTOCK NAPLES MULE AT END.
writerEND.
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