Where in the world can you still shop around as a monster, werewolf, zombie or vampire? There’s really only one place, and that’s Hoxton Street Monster Supplies in London. Here you’ll find a treasure-trove of fantasy gear for every creature. From Bah! Humbugs (candy that will turn your nauseatingly happy mood back to a comfortable sense of grim moroseness), to a jar of moonlight for people who want to turn into werewolves not only on nights with a full moon.
Sounds like something straight out of Harry Potter, doesn’t it? But it really does exist. And only when you look and listen very closely will the true story behind this store reveal itself. Hidden behind the shelves is the Ministry of Stories, an organisation that teaches young children from the (less fortunate) neighbourhoods to use their fantasy, with the aim of instilling the art of writing stories. The Monster stories and products that the children come up with are then manufactured in the store and sold.
Storytelling as it should be, which isn’t that far-fetched when you consider that this initiative was set up by successful writer Nick Hornby – who was inspired by David Eggers, the initiator of similar projects in the United Sates.
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies doesn’t limit itself to the store alone. Monsters can also go online to order their products and even select a different language. In fact, vampires can read the entire website upside-down!
In our book, this has to be the must-visit for every retail enthusiast and shows that if you really make a choice, you can have some monstrous gains.