I love visiting souvenir shops. For me, whenever I visit somewhere new, having a look around the tourist shops and finding some mementos of my trip to take home is a staple part of any holiday.
Having never been to any of the tourist shops in Liverpool before, I decided to pay a visit to Cool Britannia. The shop specialises in Liverpool and Beatles themed items and is in a prime location for tourists being right by the iconic Cavern Club.
Once I arrived, I was instantly struck by how big the store was, you can buy pretty much any souvenir you can think of here. There was a large collection of Liverpool themed clothing, ranging from hoodies to t-shirts. Those looking for a smaller gift to remember their trip can buy themselves a fridge magnet, with the option to add a Liver Bird or Lambanana to your kitchen.
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Fans of the Beatles would be spoiled for choice here, as the store stocks a large range of Fab Four themed goods. There is a large wall at the back of the shop filled with Beatles clothes, as well mugs, figurines and magnets dotted around the store. Wherever I looked, I spotted something that was linked to the band.
There was also a large range of football-themed products for sale, including caps and scarves that are ideal for taking to a game now the season is underway. The football memorabilia wasn't just representing our city's teams though, you could also buy items adorned with the logos of Chelsea, Arsenal and even FC Barcelona.
Although Cool Britannia has been in the city for almost 10 years, it also has a base in London, and you can definitely get a patriotic British feel from our local store, with lots of tourist items paying homage to the capital. You can purchase items including a London bus pencil sharpener, along with models of Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. You can also buy a diverse range of mugs and gifts decorated with Harry Potter branding.
Despite the store having a real mix of items, after speaking to Cool Britannia's owner, Mohammad Hossaini, it is clear to see that the majority of the customers are most interested in Liverpool. Many tourists enter the store to buy LFC, Everton or Beatles merchandise, yet find themselves staying longer to learn more about Liverpool's culture from Mohammad.
He told me: "Our main targets are tourists, we get a lot of UK-based tourism. However, I'd say about 75-80% of our customers come from outside the country. Mainly, people are interested in Beatles products - anything with the Beatles on such as mugs, sweatshirts and magnets.
"Anything to do with the Beatles and the Cavern Club as a brand proves to be popular. We do a lot of football products, with the football season we get a lot of people visiting to see Liverpool FC and Everton. Tourists mainly go for small things such as magnets and keychains or things like t-shirts that won't break when travelling.
"We get a lot of people from all around the world coming in to have a chat with us. People come and ask what a Lambanana or a Liver Bird is and I get to explain it. People ask about the cultural aspects of the city and we get that information out there which is something we quite like doing."
You can find Cool Britannia at 33-35 North John Street.
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