Supporting Independent businesses across Bury St Edmunds for UK Indies Day

With hundreds of high streets across the country being filled with franchises and large brands, supporting local and independent businesses in your town is now more important than ever. 

To celebrate UK Indies Day,  we have decided to round up some of our very own independent businesses across Bury St Edmunds, highlighting what our amazing town has to offer. From restaurants, clothes shops, cafe’s and more, there is surely something for all the family to enjoy this Indies Weekend in Bury St Edmunds. 

Smoking Monkey Antiques is a beautiful and eclectic antique shop stocking a wide and varied range of prints, books and rural bygones.

Owned by Marcia, a well-respected and established antique dealer who opened in 2016 after noticing the lack of antique shops in the town centre, this amazing little shop is full of antiques and collectables from various periods and styles.

The shop is named after a monkey called Jacko, who used to smoke a cigar and drink with his owner every evening in the mid-19th Century. When Jacko died, he was stuffed with his cigar and glass and now lives in the shop!

An independent cafe in the heart of St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, the Bay Tree Cafe serves fantastic food, great coffee and a warm welcome. With owners originally immigrating from Canada, there is a strong feel West Coast Canadian feel about dining at the Bay Tree Cafe. 

The owner first moved into the town to design and open the Abbeygate Cinema restaurant before opening an independent cafe on the popular St Johns Street in Bury St Edmunds. The street is full of independent businesses and has its own unique energy within the town itself. 

Bringing a taste of the Mediterranean straight to Bury St Edmunds, Cafe Kottani was opened 12 years ago in the town centre and is the sister company of the family’s very own Taverna in Greece. It is a family-run cafe with a wide selection of tasty Greek meals, including mousakka, pasticcio, yemista, and Greek Meze plates such as tzatziki, hummus, vine leaves, and more. With good support from local people, Cafe Kottani is definitely a fan favourite amongst the people of Bury St Edmunds.

With fantastic support for local businesses, owners of the Wine Cellar have joined the foodie capital of Suffolk in providing the town centre with delicious food and drink. Owners of The Wine Cellar told Our Bury, “I love the support that all of the independent businesses feel for one another. We are all part of the same team in trying to enhance the town and bring as many people to eat, drink and shop as possible. It is fantastic to be part of such a great business community.”

Offering a large variety of wine from around the world to drink in, take-away and more as well as small plates and sharing boards perfect for grazing, The Wine Cellar also has the largest wine list by the glass available in East Anglia. “With 90+ wines available from all over the world, we love helping guests find their next favourite tipple”

Beautiful Beers was established in 2011 by Rene van der Oort and is dedicated to bringing some of Europe’s finest beers to East Anglia. This independent shop stocks a variety of award-winning beers, with many winning special recognitions from CAMRA. Located in St John’s Street alongside an array of historical artefacts, Beautiful Beers love the town’s feel and its joyful and intimate atmosphere.

The range of beer offered covers mostly European countries, focusing on beers from Belgium and the Netherlands. The shop also stocks beers from local East Anglian microbreweries. The owner even claims it’s the best beer shop in the world!

Buy the Light was the Winner of the Greats Retailer Awards 2020 – Best Independent Gift Retailer East Anglia! They sell lots of lovely items from many of the well-known Home Fragrance Companies: Yankee Candle, Village Candle, WoodWick, Classic Candle and St Eval Candle, as well as a wide selection of Maison Berger lamps and perfumes.

But more than just a candle shop, they offer a great variety of gifts for you, your home, and your loved ones: Edge Sculptures, DCUK, the original wooden ducks, Frith Sculptures, baby toys, a good selection of scarves and bags, as well as hand and body ranges from The English Soap Company.

After moving to Bury St Edmunds due to its large population and frequent visitors, Buy the Light’s owner believes it is important to shop locally and support local businesses within the town centre. 

Papaki’s Deli, run by George and Margarita, offers a wide selection of artisan Greek products, fine foods, sweet treats, and beverages. The restaurant and cafe are run by the owners of Cafe Kottani. The menu includes everything from Greek Phyllo Pies, Meze Plates, and Greek Salad to tasty desserts, including Baklava, Almond Cookies, and Kantaifi.

After visiting Bury St Edmunds for years to have coffee and meet friends and after loving the town’s history and local residents, the owners couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take over Papaki’s Deli from the current owners when it arose. Papaki’s Deli is also named after the previous owner as papaki’s means duckling in Greek, and the previous owner was known to walk like a duck.

Celebrating its anniversary in the bustling town of Bury St Edmunds, Ada Baby was founded in 2020 as a family business. Since then, they have been producing high-quality baby wear, using the most suitable material for babies in neutral colours. 

Visit Ada Baby on your next trip into town, as everything in store is limited edition!

Starlings Toys took over the Toymaster Kingdom store in Cornhill when it ceased trading in 2006. Bury St Edmunds is a vibrant town full of history, culture, entertainment, and a great mix of independent and high-street shopping. Coming to Bury St Edmunds was an opportunity not to be missed. Starlings Toys moved to the Arc shopping centre in 2022. 

Interestingly, Starling Toys has been in operation since 1912, when it was established on the North Norfolk Coast by Water Starling, who initially sold boots from the back of a horse and cart. 

Starlings Toys has now grown to five stores across Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire and is run by the fourth generation of Starlings.

Trotter & Deane is proud of its independent status in Bury St Edmunds. Its approach to menswear retailing is based on keeping pace with developing trends and selling only styles that will endure. They enjoy achieving the best possible outcome and offer an in-house fitting service on all their ranges at no extra cost.

The multi-award-winning flagship store at 37 Abbeygate Street is located in a beautiful, rambling 16th-century building in the heart of the historic market town of Bury St Edmunds.

The store has three departments, all offering a cultivated and unique selection of iconic brands, including menswear, womenswear, footwear, accessories, and gifts. The menswear department provides one of the largest collections of denim brands outside London. In contrast, the womenswear department holds an eclectic mix of up-to-date fashion pieces alongside a treasure trove of gifts and accessories.

Croasdales Chemist was established in 1948 and remains the only independent pharmacy in Bury St Edmunds. They have become well-recognised as one of the most efficient dispensaries in the area.

In addition to medicines, they sell a range of products covering beauty and lifestyle, vitamins and minerals, and mobility. Their team of dedicated and experienced staff are here to ensure the well-being of their customers with the high-quality service you would expect from your community pharmacy.

Their superintendent pharmacist, Nicholas Cooper, has worked within the pharmacy for 25 years and has established trusting relationships with patients and their families.

Bohemia Bury is a vintage & retro shop located in High Baxter St. Visit the store on your next trip into town to browse an array of fabulous items, including Vintage Clothing, Textiles, Accessories, Retro Homewares, Furniture and anything quirky or unusual!

After living in Bury St Edmunds and wanting to offer a unique independent children’s clothing and accessory store, Bimbi’s, meaning children in Italian, opened in the Traverse.  The store has everything from children’s clothes to accessories and toys, stocking brands from across Europe and Scandinavia. Brands include Mayoral, Angel’s Face, Caramelo Kids, iDo, Billieblush, Bling2O, Rockahula Kinds, Slipfree, and Jabadabado. Bimbi caters mainly to newborns to nine-year-olds and stocks clothing and accessories for boys and girls up to 16.

Bimbi’s tells Our Bury that it is important for shoppers to support local businesses. “When people shop local, they’re supporting a small family business, and we always try our best to understand our customers and their needs.” The owner’s favourite thing about Bury St Edmunds is the local independent businesses and its lovely, family-friendly feeling. 

With a vast array of retailers and independent stores across Bury St Edmunds, we are sure that our historic town has something for everyone this Indies Week. Supporting local businesses is essential in ensuring that our town continues to thrive and that independent businesses continue serving customers with fantastic food, drink, clothing, accessories, and more. Visit any of our independent stores this Indies Week and support the very best of Bury St Edmunds. 

CBD Brothers is a family-owned business located at the Traverse that is passionate about the benefits of CBD and the use of plants. With deep roots in the area, opening in Bury St Edmunds was a natural choice for owners due to its rich history, vibrant community, and strategic location. Dawn from CBD Brothers said, “By shopping locally, customers boost the local economy and create jobs while enjoying unique products and a personalised shopping experience. Local businesses like ours foster community connections and reduce environmental impact. We love our town for its blend of historical significance and modern vibrancy, exemplified by landmarks like St Edmundsbury Cathedral and Abbey Gardens.”