From the big personalities through to some of the city's most established firms, Nottingham is home to a diverse range of independent businesses.
NottinghamshireLive and the Nottingham Post have now teamed up with city centre business leaders to highlight some of the most popular.
We hope our series of Keep It Local features will persuade readers to spend their money with the city's independent traders. By turning our very best independents into headline news, we want readers to know about the local businesses that should make us all proud.
And we want readers to nominate their favourites, for the Nottingham BID's annual competition to showcase our finest independents - the official launch takes place next month.
In today's Keep it Local piece, we take a look at some of the city's most well known independents, long term traders and the big personalities.
Weavers
Before John Boot had set up his family's medicine shop in Nottingham, a small pub in Castle Gate had already welcomed thousands of customers through its doors.
Today, the pub side of the business may have gone, but Weavers of Nottingham is still one of the independent shops to go to for unique and good quality drinks.
The Trease family bought Weavers in 1897 - it was established in 1844 - and it operated as a pub and small wine and spirits seller. The pub was eventually sold in 1959.
Discussing how the company has managed to be so successful, director Philip Trease said: "We have a very loyal customer base, we sell quirky products and being independently minded we can buy in the wines we like and that customers hopefully will like, too.
"We can keep to doing what we do best which is buying good wines and spirits."
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Most recently, the company has embarked on one of its own products - Castle Gate Gin.
The tipple is inspired by Sherwood Forest, whose acorns have been dried, peeled and ground to be used in the product.
Mr Trease said: "We wanted something that was Nottingham minded so we ended up launching our gin range which has been phenomenally successful."
Page 45
Showing passion in the products you provide is one of the keys to selling it to your customers.
And that is very much in evidence at graphic novel store Page 45, whose co-founder Stephen Holland admits it is good to put on a show.
The Market Street shop celebrates its 25th anniversary in a few months' time and he believes providing a personal touch has been one of the keys to its success.
He said: "Every day we get new people coming in, seeing these gorgeous books with their beautiful production values, and we will go over and say hello so they know we are approachable. If they need suggestions or want some help they know we are here.
On being able to make recommendations and selling to customers, he added: "My belief is if you are going to sell stories, you should be able to tell stories and that is what we do. With shows and tells we recreate the feel of the graphic novel and the content - without spoilers."
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The Tokenhouse
Popular gift shop The Tokenhouse has been described as one of Nottingham's gems, selling everything from cards and toys, through to candles and jewellery.
The 45-year-old shop moved from its long-time home of Bridlesmith Gate last October, to St Peter's Gate.
Despite the change of scenery - and some reservations from customers - the family-run store is still doing a roaring trade.
Tokenhouse buyer, Holly Williams, said: "We are pretty happy with the move. I think the layout of the new site is a lot easier. People say it is not as quirky as it used to be but it is much more accessible.
"I thought that people might struggle with the change but we have had a lot of compliments about it."
As with many independent businesses, one of the perks to running your own shop is being able to buy in your own products.
Mrs Williams said: "My parents (Geoff and Diz Williams) have done it for so long and we are able to do a lot of it for ourselves - we have a good choice of products that hopefully people like.
"We have also been able to change the way the shop looks over the years and it has just worked."
FIVE LEAVES
Five Leaves Publications started out in 1996 and has published about 200 titles in that time.
After securing a hidden away premises in Long Row in 2013, the Book Shop was launched offering independent titles and a strong political theme.
Lean Wilkins, events co-ordinator at the store, which was named Independent Book Shop of the Year in 2018, believes there are a variety of factors being the company's success.
She said: "We have quite a big programme with over 100 events a year, we also do book stalls for other people running events and we are a welcoming and safe space. There are people who don't want to buy books from Amazon and want to support local and independent businesses. There is not one single reason but lots of factors that contribute to our success."
Books take up the majority of the shop's shelves with a strong leaning towards different political issues.
Ms Wilkins added: "We are a radical book shop. We stock books you wouldn't find in ordinary high street book shops, we have a big politics section, feminist books and others that kind of encourage different ways of thinking."
It's In Nottingham
The annual It's in Nottingham Independents Initiative, organised by the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), is now in its seventh year.
Jeff Allen, director of the BID, said: "We are very fortunate that Nottingham has so many fantastic independent businesses.
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"We are really proud that many are long standing, whose origins can be traced back many decades and in some cases even longer. A number go back several generations too.
"We also have some really quirky unique ones which play a vital part in differentiating Nottingham from other places."
Customers can vote online here and after next month's launch via voting cards in the premises.
The categories are:
o Cafe/coffee shop
o Pub, club, bar and music venue
o Restaurant
o Homes and giftware
o Retail
o Health, hair and beauty
o Attractions and things to do
The top three in each category will be visited by mystery shoppers and the winners will be announced at an event on July 4.
There will also be a special achievement award, decided by the judges.
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