There aren't many shops in the middle of Nottingham where you can hold a crocodile's skull or climb into a full-sized coffin. But if you are looking for something different this Halloween, That Weird Shop has you covered. The shop in Southwell Road, opposite Sneinton Market, has been open in its new location for four months.
Owner Zee Rowe has an eye for the unusual so the shop is one of the only places to buy a vintage VHS player or invest in a collectible Star Wars figurine, or you can head downstairs to the basement to check out the haunted doll. The space has been a concept of his for many years, but he wanted to created an all-in-one shop and community space.
"With the cost of living crisis and people being skint after the Covid pandemic, I wanted to offer a shop where people could not only buy things for a reasonable price but sell or swap things too. There is a sort of recycling thing going on here as I would rather people bring things to us rather than send them to a landfill," he said.
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"We make things out of it or it goes to charity if we can't use it. We have an all-in-one store that has collectibles, musical instruments, clothing and the freaky basement but we also have local artists involved so they sell a lot of things made locally through here."
The aim of the shop was not just to create a comfortable space where people can buy or sell items but also to hang out. The cheaper prices for things like DVDs have given people struggling with the cost of living crisis an alternative to paying for a subscription for the likes of Netflix or Disney+.
"People love their Netflix but not everyone can afford to have it or the internet these days due to the cost of living. So they come in here to buy DVDs so they can have some form of entertainment instead of a subscription or internet costs. I have an older chap who comes in here every day for a horror film then he comes back the next for another and we talk about horror films," Zee said.
"I created the shop to be a safe space for alternative people so this is for everyone. I don't really like labels as we are all human beings. You can come here to buy, sell, trade or even just play the arcade games if you want."
Some of the items that have been brought in are the more usual vintage or second-hand items but some have a life of their own. This includes a haunted doll that sits in a special glass case in the basement. Shoppers have reported that the doll moves around the glass box of its own accord.
"People have brought some odd things in like a 'haunted doll', saying 'please get this away from me because it's not doing me any good and the house is shaking'. I had a crocodile head brought in too along with swords from the film Highlander," Zee said.
The basement may not be for the faint of heart but, with Halloween around the corner, it's perfect for anyone looking for a good scare or horror fans.
Zee has great plans for the shop which is spread over four floors. There is the spooky basement, the shop on the ground floor, the vintage clothing on the second floor and there will be a production floor where musicians will be able to pop in to create videos.
"We have an extra room on the top floor which I am hoping to turn into a video production studio and rehearsal area for local bands so they can come in and get creative for a good price. I want to do a bit extra for the Nottingham music scene, particularly as there are so many musicians around here," he said.
"We've been here for four months and I'm still moving things around while trying to do the business side of things which is tricky, especially in these uncertain times. But there is something for everyone here in that you can come here if you have 50p to spend and find something to buy. I like to swap, trade and buy things in too so everyone can get involved."
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