First stop on this bustling strip is The Gallery Shop. It’s owned by Lorin Strieman who has an unfailing eye for beautiful and orginal hand made goodies – jewellery, accessories, artefacts made mainly by women’s groups from South Africa and Africa. The rest of the street has a great mix of art galleries and street traders amongst them queen of the vintage vendors, Brenda Scarrett, who for years ran the much loved Second Time Around shop in Long Street (still in business btw!). Find her on the corner of Long and Church Streets, at her stall selling Cape collectables and memorabilia. On the same corner, pop into MeMeMe established by Doreen Southwood and across the road Mungo and Jemima, owned by Kirsty Bannerman and Marian Park-Ross, both super spots for proudly South African and stylish fashion from local designers.
Further down Long St, itself dotted with funky fashion outlets, you’ll find the African Women Craft Market. As the name suggests it’s a cornucopia of beaded, woven, painted and sculpted craft. Three stories of meandering indoor market filled with a rainbow of baskets, bracelets, boots and pretty much every accessory known to womankind. And if you’ve got the time there are even cobblers and dressmakers who will custom make specially for you!