Home and Lifestyle
Kiss Kiss Heart
Rochester | 66 High St, ME1 1JY
Kiss Kiss Heart’s online store has a huge range of great products including plants, toys, candles, books, clothing, fragrances, decorations, cards, art prints, lighting and much more. They add new stock regularly so keep an eye on their social accounts for updates.
Hometown
Rochester | 62 High St, ME1 1JY
If you’re handy with a sewing machine or know someone who is, it’s worth checking out Hometown. They sell beautiful fabrics, quilt patterns and a range of haberdashery essentials. They also have a range of books and gift items in store.
Norse Vintage
Rochester | Online
Norse Vintage source homewares from French markets and posts their latest finds on Instagram. You’ll find glasses, crockery, workmen’s jackets, french linen, Christmas decorations, and more. Follow their Instagram for updates and direct message them if you spot something you love.
The Circle Refill Hub
Rainham | 9 Berengrave Lane, ME8 7LS
The Circle sell sustainable, refillable beauty, body, and domestic products. They deliver to Rainham, Upchurch, Lower Halstow, Hartlip, Bredhurst, Wigmore, Parkwood and Hempstead once a week, or you can book a refill appointment and visit their Rainham hub.
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Dark Iron Fabrications
Rochester | Unit B3 Mockbeggar Farm, ME3 8EU
Daniel Cooper hand crafts beautiful, sustainable furniture out of the best species of wood in the world. Every piece is made with the finest speciality hardwoods, and finished with bespoke metal design. He also does office and retail displays and furnishings and made the bar at Cheeky Clucker! Keep an eye on his shop in the lead up to Christmas for smaller gift ideas like resin coasters and coat racks.
Decktronix
Rochester | Rear of 375 Featherstone House, ME1 1DA
Tucked away at the rear of Featherstone House on Chatham Intra you’ll find Decktronix, an old school record shop, repair shop, streaming studio, and social hub for DJs, producers and music lovers. They stock an incredible range of dance music, including over 15,000 12” singles.
Hirondelle
Upnor | Online and Rochester Vintage & Artisan Market
Donna and Dave scour French markets for unusual finds. They regularly have West German pottery, vintage enamelware, art, jewellery, art deco pieces and more. Keep an eye on Instagram for updates and message them if you spot anything you like.
Fieldstaff Antiques
Rochester | 93 High St, ME1 1LX
Fieldstaff Antiques have over 32,000 (!!!) items in their eBay store, including vintage toys, postcards, pottery, china, vinyl, sports memorabilia, jewellery, clothing and more.
Stray Magpie
Upnor | 11 Magazine B, Rochester ME2 4UY
Stray Magpie source new and reclaimed interior treasures. They stock furniture, kitchenware, textiles, lighting, storage and more. Their showroom is based in Upnor or you can browse their website from the comfort of your sofa.
The Little Soy Candle Co.
Rochester | Online
Jenna started making candles as a hobby but requests from friend and family increased, so she decided to launch The Little Soy Candle Company. Scents include Parma Violet, Marshmallow Fluff and Strawberry & Rhubarb. All candles are made by hand using 100% soy wax and natural cotton wicks.
Designed by Esther
Rainham | Online
Esther mainly works with organisations to create exclusive illustrations but she is also available for bespoke commissions. Esther has created illustrations for Rochester Cathedral, Chelsea Pensioners, Royal Engineers Museum, and The Historic Dockyard. There’s a great collection of Medway-themed products available in her online shop.
Lampshades by Weird and Gilly
Rochester | Online
Beautiful contemporary handmade lampshades, cushions and tea towels made from a range of high quality fabrics and vintage maps. For a great gift idea, check out the personalised vintage ordnance survey map lampshades. They offer free local delivery to the Medway Towns.
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Nick Ashton
Chatham | Online
Nick Ashton has a great range of art prints and some hilarious Christmas card designs in his online store. He also creates amazing personalised portraits inspired by your favourite films and TV shows.
Clothing and Accessories
Marijays
Hoo St Werburgh | Online
Marijays specialises in Afrocentric clothing and accessories for all. Ready to wear items are sourced from Nigeria and the Middle East, and they also work with tailoring businesses in small communities in Nigeria. You’ll find beautiful dresses, skirts, kimonos, bags and more on their website.
ciesius
Rochester | Online
If you’re a fan of 80s, 90s, and 00s vintage fashion, check out Rochester-based ciesius on Asos Marketplace. They have over 13k followers on Instagram and they source some amazing vintage pieces.
Rocket
Rochester | 77 High St, ME1 1LX
Rocket has a wide range of men’s and women’s clothing including dungarees, dresses, jumpsuits, jeans, shirts and coats. Their sister store Kiss Kiss Heart also has a good range of clothing and accessoires so both stores are worth a visit if you’re on Rochester High Street.
Sosojoy
Rochester | Online
If you’re looking for beautiful handmade masks and fabric headbands, check out Sosojoy. They regularly post new stock on their Instagram feed so give them a follow for updates.
Suzie Lee Knitwear
Rochester | Online
If you’re a fan of bold colours and Fair Isle patterns, you’ll love Suzie’s beautiful handmade knitwear. You’ll find adults and kids scarves, mittens, baby blankets, wraps, snoods, cushions and holiday cards in her online shop. She’s also a regular at Greenwich Market.
Hardcloud
Rochester | Online
Hardcloud is an online surf and skate clothing store based in Medway City Estate. They’ve been in business for over 10 years, selling a mix of niche and established brands and a range of products including clothing, trainers, gifts and gadgets, snow wear, bags and accessories. They offer free standard shipping as well as next day delivery.
Copenhagen Blue
Rochester | 78 High Street, ME1 1JY
Copenhagen Blue is a Rochester High Street favourite but they also have a great online store. They get new stock regularly and have some lovely affordable accessories if you’re looking for gift ideas. They also sell gift cards.
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Kaizen Antiques and Jewellery
Rochester | 88 High St, ME1 1JT
If you’re looking for something special, Kaizen sell antique, vintage, pre-owned and modern jewellery. They have something for all budgets (earrings start at £25) and there are plenty of options in their online shop.
Pin Badge Club
Rochester | Online
Ben Cameron’s monthly subscription box is the gift that keep on delighting all year. For £7 per month you get an adorable pin badge, a sticker and a bunch of other goodies. He also sells prints, cards, individual pins and more in his Etsy store.
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Etsy
Bath and Body
The Skincare Connection
The Skincare Connection has a range of gorgeous products including Mother and Baby Balm, The Universal Connection Balm, Facial Oil, and Massage Oil. Ingredients are of the highest quality, 100 percent natural, and cruelty free. They’re one of our favourites for gifts!
The Beard of Attraction
The Beard of Attraction offer premium grooming products from high quality organic and vegan ingredients. Their range includes beard oils, soaps, balms, tache wax, and tattoo aftercare. Founder (and magnificent beard-owner) Mustafa Pertev incorporates scents based on his Turkish heritage, alongside classic fragrances.
Hair and Beauty
Pinky’s Beauty
Hempstead | Unit B1, Elms Ct, ME7 3JQ
Pinky’s Beauty offer over 450 beauty and hair salon services from nails and lashes to semi-permanent makeup and laser hair removal. They’re located behind Elm Court Garden Centre, Hempstead.
The Busking Barber
Medway | Mobile
Aaron is barber and musician from Rochester, Kent. During lockdown he decided to leave shop life behind, and built a pretty amazing mobile barbershop in the back of his van. He’ll come to you at your home or workplace, anywhere in the Medway Towns.
Linehan and Co
Rainham | 162 High St, ME8 8AT
Linehan and Co specialise in colours and creative cuts and are keen to challenge your idea of a traditional salon. They’re inclusive and gender neutral, making any service or style available to their clients. They also focus on using eco friendly products wherever possible.
No Bad Days Barbershop
St Mary’s Island | Atlas Place, Chatham ME4 3AN
With a qualification in Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the workplace, Jake Cox wanted to create a place where his customers feel comfortable opening up and discussing their mental health. Jake says “if people come to the shop and feel they need to talk then they know where I am, I’m always here to listen.” He’s also created a range of No Bad Days haircare products and 10% of all sales go to MIND.
M&K Hair Lounge
Gillingham | 17 Watling Street, ME5 7EP
M&K Hair Lounge has been catering for Afro, mixed heritage and European clients since 2010. They offer a range of services including hair extensions, braiding, highlights, colouring cut and restyle, cornrow, relaxing and treatments, crochet, keratin treatments, and custom made wigs.
The Secret Spa
This hidden gem is tucked away in a beautiful village in Medway. It offers you a tranquil and relaxing experience with every treatment, whether you have arrived for a leg wax, manicure or a facial. An appointment is required for every visit, directions and full address will be given once an appointment is booked.
Flowers and Plants
Ginger Lily Florists
Rochester | 162 High Street, ME1 1EX
There’s nothing like a flower delivery to brighten your day. Lesley and Georgia provide beautiful flowers at affordable prices and there are plenty of options in their online shop. They offer same day delivery for orders placed before 2pm.
The Plant Room
Rochester | Upstairs at Rocket, 77 High St, ME1 1LX
Upstairs at Rocket you’ll find a room jam-packed with affordable house plants, planters, macrame plant hangers, misters, accessories and gifts for plant lovers. With prices starting at just a few pounds, we can never resist taking something home with us.
Food and Drink
Condimaniac
Chatham | Online
Kier and Jen make award-winning, small batch sauces and seasonings with serious flavour. If you’re looking for a unique gift idea, you can make your own custom hot sauce! They also have gift vouchers and a great online shop.
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Dockyard Jam Factory
Laura Chapman started Dockyard Jam Factory in March 2020. Her jams are lovingly made by hand in small batches using the traditional open pot method. They are 100% natural and bursting with locally grown or UK sourced fruit. You can also find them at Farmview Butchers - 94 Delce Road, Rochester.
