Exploring the charm of Bury St Edmunds’ St John’s Street; The heart of independent businesses.

Exploring the charm of Bury St Edmunds’ St John’s Street; The heart of independent businesses. St John’s Street, which is just around the corner from the Buttermarket, has an eccentric range of shops and businesses, particularly being the town’s hotspot of independents. Whether you are looking for a bite to eat, grab a coffee on the go, or browse for gifts, there is plenty to do in this ultimate indie destination.

When shopping to fuel your hobbies or take care of your pet at home, St John’s Street has a range of businesses to cater to your needs. Vinyl Hunter, which first opened in the summer of 2015, is a fantastic destination for music lovers. The shop stocks a diverse collection of vintage and new records across all genres and a wide range of audio equipment, records, cassettes, and books. Micks Cycles, established in 1970, supplies bicycles and accessories to the local area, including Road, Mountain, Gravel, Hybrid, Electric, and Children’s. For a pet’s paradise in Bury St Edmunds, Milpets sell all you need: treats, food, supplements, medicines, collars, leads, toys, beds, cages and more.

If you’re on the hunt for gifts or grabbing supplies for an event, there are several businesses that you must stop at on your visit to St John’s Street. Dance and Party Crazy offers a variety of fancy dress costumes and dancewear, including wigs, face paints, makeup, hats, masks, tights, and birthday and party decorations such as balloons for Valentine’s Day Balloons, birthday numbers, helium foil balloons, and banners. Love It is a gift shop on St John’s Street that sells all kinds of gifts, greeting cards, and novelty items.

Smoking Monkey Antiques is the place to stop for more unique gifts or homeware. Owner Marcia has always dreamed of opening an antique store, and her dream became a reality in 2016. She is an expert in all things vintage or antique, and you can expect to find books, paintings, prints, china, dolls, fabrics and more. Don’t forget to say hi to the ‘Smoking Monkey’ himself on the way out!

Suffolk Jewellery and Antiques is a family-run business with over 40 years of experience. They sell new and secondhand jewellery, including earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and watches. For more unique pieces and other services, they also offer bespoke pieces, repairs, alterations, and valuations. You’ll also find Jewellery by Tony Strowger on St John’s Street, where Tony can turn an idea into a reality by creating truly unique and bespoke jewellery items.

Also on St John’s Street is Beautiful Beers, which was established in 2011. The owner is dedicated to bringing some of the best award-winning beer selections from all over the world and some great craft beers from local East Anglian micro-breweries. For something even more unique, they also sell a range of brewing kits for anyone who loves to enjoy a beer from home.

When shopping for new clothes in Bury St Edmunds, St John’s Street has a range of independent stores to browse. Pocketwatch and Petticoats, founded in 2015 by Sophia, started after a conversation with her mum; a week later, she had her first shop! The 1950s-inspired clothing store sells a range of dresses, skirts, cardigans, jackets, jumpers, trousers and accessories, including hats, belts, handbags and sunglasses. Further down the road is Sunrise, which began over 30 years ago, trading Moroccan lanterns, rugs and ceramics on a market stall in Bury St Edmunds. Many of the products sold today still come from the same suppliers they used all those years ago. Sunrise are dedicated to buying from independent manufacturers and fair trade goods suppliers, selling clothes, shoes, accessories, house interior pieces, games, candles, crystals and more. And at 3 Cats Vintage, you never know what you will find. We offer preloved, genuine vintage, reworked vintage, 90s, and Y2K clothing, accessories, jewellery, gifts, and homeware. For menswear or school uniforms, Aubyn Davies has been trading since 1907. They offer both tailoring services and traditional tailoring of suits, jackets, trousers, and coats.

If you’re choosing a bite to eat or looking for a cup of coffee to catch up with friends, St John’s Street is the place to be. Midgar focuses on giving an experience rather than just a drink and offers a wide variety of coffee and tea blends from around the world. From rich and bold espresso to delicate and floral teas, several pastries and cakes accompany your drink. At the end of St John’s Street, Cookie Barrista was the first cafe to bring bubble tea to Suffolk, offering 200 different flavour combinations of milk, taro, and matcha tea. Bay Tree Cafe has what you need for freshly brewed coffee and delicious food such as lunches, breakfasts, cakes and pastries! You won’t walk away feeling hungry with sandwiches, soups, salads, and their famous dirty fries. If you want to taste local flavours, Peck, who started frying chicken on a market in 2017, creates delicious chicken-based meals with locally sourced and homemade ingredients. Their more recent creations include lemon and thyme, crispy chicken with buffalo sauce and maple chicken with homemade pickles. Also on St John’s Street is Olive Grove, which opened their second UK shop in 2022. They pride themselves on classic, simple but great flavours for their Greek and Mediterranean dishes, including pizzas, gyros and kebabs.

Taking care of yourself and promoting your well-being is a simple task on St. John’s Street. Since opening, Bimbo’s Hair has been Sustainably conscious and down-to-earth, creating a relaxing space with honest services for its clients. They are modern in their approach to prices and services – whether you’re just looking for a trim or a complete restyle with colour. With customer service and satisfaction being a top priority, you are always welcome to stop in for a consultation before booking an appointment. John Micheal Hairdressing are professional and passionate, offering every client a warm and welcoming environment. At Blackbird Barber Shop, owner Craig leads a great team with over 19 years of experience. In 2017, he moved to Bury St Edmunds and decided to focus solely on men’s hair. His shop is a traditional gentlemen’s barber shop with a modern twist – pop in and see the team for a freshen-up. Suppose you’re practising self-care from your head down to your toes. In that case, Sandra Eames, BSc (Hons), is an HCPC registered podiatrist working at Premier Podiatry, providing podiatry treatments for all age groups.

To search all businesses based on location, visit our website’s Interactive Map or view our What’s On page for upcoming events in Bury St Edmunds.