I love having a gift shop in St Ives. It’s a vibrant little town, and I get to meet lots of lovely customers,
both local and visiting. I also get a real buzz out of being part of our lively community of small local
businesses – and if you love a quirky independent shop, St Ives is the place for you!
The Newlyn maids team often gets asked by shoppers for recommendations, so we’ve selected a
few of our favourites for you.
St Ives gift shops
Well, obviously, there’s us, Newlyn Maids! Our gift shop is on the High Street (you’ll spot us by our
distinctive curving doorway). We sell homewares, gifts and lifestyle products, and there’s always a
great selection of cards.
Then there’s our near neighbour, Jo Downs Handmade Glass (never mind the door: they have a
whole curving building!). Their glassware is absolutely stunning and inspired by all things Cornish,
from shoaling fish to sunset shades. (I’m also a very keen collector of her work!)
For beautiful dried flowers and other exquisite treats, call into Hazel & Twine. The Drill Hall in Chapel
Street is our version of a shopping arcade: make sure you explore its unique little shops (and
tempting café).
Toys and beachy fun
If the kids have holiday money to spend or you need extra entertainment for a rainy day, the Wharf
post office has a fantastic toy shop attached. It’s piled high with toys from names like LEGO and
Schleich, as well as a large selection of jigsaws and board games. Look out for The Great St Ives Pasty
Dash, St Ives’ very own board game.
Does a bookshop come under gifts, fun or essentials? We reckon they count as all three! To pick up
your holiday reading, pop into St Ives Bookseller, a Fore Street shop that has an extraordinary
amount of excellent reading material in a very small space.
The Blue Wave is at the other end of Fore Street, and it’s another popular pocket money stop. It also
sells essential beachy kit like buckets, spades and nets. If you’ve come to the beach and forgotten
your bucket (we’ve all done it), there are shops on the main beaches that sell everything you need.
Surfy stuff
If your seaside ambitions extend further than sandcastles, we recommend Off The Beaten Track,
again on Fore Street. They’ll sort you out with surfing kit, as will their near-neighbour Wind an Sea.
There’s also Tiki Surf on the High Street close to Newlyn Maids.
Favourite St Ives food shops
Packing a picnic? For yummy local products, try The Cornish Deli and the Allotment Deli, both of
which have a mouth-watering selection of Cornish food and homemade treats. If you’re around,
don’t miss the Thursday morning Farmers’ Market at the Guildhall, which is a great source of locally
produced meat, fish and veg.
For those tempting little extras, there’s I Should Coco chocolatiers in Tregenna Place and Johns
Wines on Fore Street. Johns has a wide choice of beers, wines and spirits, including Cornish editions.
Before we leave the subject of food… St Ives is full of excellent bars and restaurants, and it can be
hard to know where to start! For great food and friendly service, try The Mex, traditional Italian
Peppers or Talay Thai Kitchen.
Picking up those essentials
St Ives is a surprisingly good place to shop for essential things. There are two Co-ops in town, with a
third just out of town on The Stennack. If you need a pharmacy, there’s Leddra Pharmacy on Fore
Street (look out for its wonderful old frontage) and two small branches of Boots. Four-legged family
members will love Ruff Life in Market Place or Rocky’s Pet Shop and Grooming Lounge.
And for absolutely anything practical, including tools you’ve never heard of and certainly didn’t
realise you needed? Colenso, of course – a real St Ives legend.
Just grabbing a coffee…
Need a pick-me-up after all this shopping? There’s a great choice of places to grab a coffee or snack
in St Ives. We like the coffee and cake at Sea of Coffee, and try the brownies from The Yellow
Canary. Moomaid Ice Cream Parlour on St Andrews Street does great coffee and snacks as well as ice
cream and sorbets. Yallah Coffee Kiosk near the harbour is another favourite.
Shopping in St Ives: good to know
Now for a few practical details… Parking in St Ives is fine out of season but can be trickier in the
height of summer. Get here early… Here’s the list of council car parks in St Ives, and there’s also a
large private car park at the rugby club just outside the town centre, with a bus service into town.
It’s worth noting that there isn’t a petrol station in St Ives, so it’s Hayle, St Erth or Penzance if you
need to refuel.
If you prefer not to drive, there are plenty of service buses that will take you right into St Ives,
including the open-top bus from Penzance during the summer. There’s also the train, which takes
you along a simply stunning route. St Ives railway station is just above Porthminster Beach, and you
pick up the branchline train from the mainline station at St Erth (near Hayle).
I hope this has given you an insight into shopping in St Ives – I really do recommend it! It’s a vibrant
and friendly place to shop, and you’ll come away with all sorts of exciting goodies. If we’ve missed
you out or haven’t mentioned your favourite spot, we’re really sorry – let us know, and we’ll write a
Part 2!
