Architecture,  CFFC,  Street photography,  Themed galleries

Gallery: shop fronts from around the world

December 22, 2024 / 47 Comments

Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard.

Paul McCartney, Junk

In the US they are store fronts and in the UK we call them shop fronts, but whatever you call them they can be attractive / bizarre / interesting / or most often, just dull. We barely notice the dull ones that we see every day, so when we come across one that isn’t it is bound to stand out. No wonder many of us stop to take a photo!

Whether it’s of the goods on display, the style of the building or perhaps the interest created by reflections in the glass, a shop front has loads of potential for an appealing image. And it reflects (pun intended!) the character of the town or city where it is located and of local culture. For anyone who travels, that is adds a particular appeal. Plus, as a keen street photographer, I’m often taken by an interesting juxtaposition of shop display and passers-by.

Dan has very kindly stepped up to take over Cee’s Fun Foto challenge, a reminder to me that it’s a while since I participated in that fun! And what better time to start than with this theme of store fronts? Many you will have seen before but I thought it would be a good exercise to bring them all together to explore the similarities and contrasts from place to place.

My feature photo was taken a couple of weeks ago in London’s Fitzrovia and was an obvious choice for this, my final post before Christmas. Happy Holidays to all who are celebrating! And my warmest of wishes to those who are perhaps struggling with difficult memories of happier past Christmases.

Two men talking outside a closed bakery

In the Blancs Manteaux area of Paris

Colourful shop sign

Toy shop in the Marais, Paris

Young boy on a railing outside a smart clothes shop

In the Marais, Paris; I doubt that young lad ever shops in Comptoir des Cotonniers!

Man outside a small greengrocer shop

Fresh vegetables in the Rue de Seine, Paris

A typical shop front adornment in Camden, London

Building decorated with a huge boot
Old-fashioned newsagent shop

In Soho, London

Two women outside a shop called Kinky

In Sofia, Bulgaria; I’m often amused by the English shop names used in non-English speaking countries!

Also in Sofia, another great shop name!

Two women entering a shop called Camden High Street
Old woman selling mittens outside a lingerie shop

In Tallinn, Estonia; I was struck by the contrast between the flimsy lace lingerie and the woollen mittens sold by the old lady, as well as between the mannequin and the lady herself!

Quaint shop with fabric and basket ware displays

A souvenir shop in Tallinn

Two women passing a shop window with a poster of a young woman
Man passing a shop window with a poster of an elegant woman

A department store in Leipzig, Germany

Row of shops selling car parts and tyres

In Salalah, Oman: a whole street of shops selling the same thing, auto parts!

Shop selling chicken

Another one from Salalah

In Serrekunda, Gambia

Woman moving a large cannister in front of a simple shop
Man in the doorway of a simple shop called Welcome to Manchester United

Also in Serrekunda, another example of a great shop name!

Wool shop

In Haight Ashbury, San Francisco

Old adobe building decorated with animal skulls

The Chimayo Trading Post, New Mexico; the subject of my first ever blog post here!

Shingled shop building selling outdoor clothing

In Ocracoke, North Carolina (scanned from an old slide)

47 Comments

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