London Shops: Unique, Unusual and Specialist Shops in London

Everything in Junky Styling on Brick Lane started life as second hand clothing and has since been deconstructed, re-cut and completely transformed into a new product. It's the perfect place to pick up truly original, unique clothes. You can also take in your own old clothes for a hip makeover. Junky Styling's outfits even featured on a recent episode of BBC show The Apprentice. 

A fan of the Fab Four? Be sure to visit the Beatles Store on Baker Street. A shrine to all things Beatles related, it stocks T-shirts, posters, mugs and records as well as original 60s memorabilia. For more Beatles treasures, there's also BeatlesYeahYeahYeah – a market stall in Portobello Road Market on Fridays and Saturdays.

If you've got a sugar craving, Cybercandy is the place for you. A shopping paradise for anyone who loves sweets, Cybercandy socks a huge range of confectionery, including limited editions and rare sweet treats from all over the world. It's enough to satisfy even the most insatiable sugar addict.

Equip yourself for London's unpredictable weather at James Smith & Sons. This family-owned shop opened in 1867 and has been hand-crafting umbrellas and walking sticks ever since. Housed in a Grade II listed building, the shop is a work of art in itself and well worth a visit come rain or shine.

One-off means just that at One on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill; everything on sale is truly unique and completely individual. From bespoke accessories to reworked vintage clothing, retro wallpaper to antiques, no two pieces are ever the same. It's a treasure trove of unusual statement pieces.

Yes, this really is a whole shop dedicated to the humble ukulele, although it sells banjos, harmonicas and accessories too. The Duke of Uke has a rehearsal room and recording studio in the basement, and it's worth popping in just to catch one of the spontaneous concerts or impromptu ukulele solos regularly given by customers.

A cult entertainment megastore, Forbidden Planet is London's largest science fiction shop. Comics, action figures, graphic novels and collectables from cult films and TV... you'll find them all here. It's seventh heaven for sci-fi fans and a must for anyone who loves Star Wars. Even if you're not sci-fi junkie, it's worth a look.

Known throughout the world as a niche supplier of art materials, Cornelissen & Son has been an art lover's treasure trove since 1855. Inside it feels like very little has changed since then and it's worth a visit just to get a glimpse of the unique interior. Once there you can browse through the huge selection of paints including oils, watercolours, and pastels as well as drawing materials.

Vegans walk this way – VX caters for your every need, selling everything from 100% vegan shoes and belts to delicious cupcakes! There's a downstairs lounge where you can drink tasty milkshakes, and VX is also official headquarters of the Secret Society of Vegans, so there's a wide selection of SSoV merchandise and clothing.

A London institution, James Purdey & Sons was established in 1814, and has been a popular London establishment at which you can buy guns for hunting and shooting ever since. Queen Victoria is even reputed to have bought a pair of Purdey pistols. Head here for shotguns, rifles and ammunition as well as shooting and hunting clothes and accessories.