What's the finest shop name pun in London?

2007-05-21T10:25:04Z

As we all know, punning is the highest form of wit. And it seems that London’s entrepreneurs are the world’s craftiest punners. Witness this morning’s entry: if you need to buy a refrigerator in Stoke Newington, where would you go? Why, Sellfridges of course.

And are you feeling a bit peckish? How about one of the delights from Jason’s Doner Van?

Can you top them?

2007-05-21T11:36:50Z

darwins deli people bring my office sandwiches and i always liked there slogan

2007-05-21T11:35:43Z

I used to live by a samwich place called claires big baps – really bad i know.

2007-05-21T11:35:23Z

Right, there’s this hairdresser in East Dulwich and we assume its name is meant to be a pun but we’ve never been able to work it out.

It is called “The Nouv Hair-Let”. The only thing we could think of was “novelette” but why would it be that? Basically just why? We sort of wanted to ring them up and ask but were too scared.

2007-05-21T11:23:08Z

slip into… R. Soles

2007-05-21T11:26:13Z

Not strictly a shop name, but a slogan – on the window of a launderette in Highgate (dunno whether it’s still there) that went something along the lines of “Wishy washy splishy sploshy cleany knickie velly quickie”...

2007-05-21T11:31:23Z

I saw a cement mixer lorry this morning with “Jim’ll mix it” on the side. Fair made my day it did

2007-05-21T11:32:59Z

I just realised I do know a shop near me with a pun title – Aquacadabra – it’s a tropical fish shop.

2007-05-21T11:33:23Z

Not really a pun, but Darwin’s Deli by S. Ken tube (it’s closed now) had the tag line “The Natural Selection” which I liked.

There’s a hairdressers in Epsom called Headmasters.

I always wanted to open a guitar shop in Ireland and call it Eire Guitars.

2007-05-21T11:21:52Z

There’s a chippy in North Finchley called The Codfather

2007-05-21T10:30:46Z

I am partial to any Florist called Molly Blooms, I know there’s one in London somewhere. There’s also one in Auckland, NZ

2007-05-21T10:40:10Z

There is an absolutely terrible, doesn’t-even-make-much-sense pun in North Finchley- Hair-O-Dyenamix. Obviously a hairdressers, the worst offenders.Three rubbish puns.

2007-05-21T10:49:30Z

I was a big fan of Touching Cloth in Brick Lane http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtinalamb/410694994/

2007-05-21T11:00:03Z

I don’t know of any shops with puns around my way but on a related note, my local paper held a pun writing competition recently and so I sent in ten entries hoping one of them would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

2007-05-21T11:04:21Z

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but the Chinese fish and chip shop on Fulham Palace Road called Wok and Roe always raises a little smirk.

2007-05-21T11:08:12Z

There’s one of them on Putney Bridge Roe i mean Road as well, Raverator.

Abrakebabra, wherever it is.

2007-05-21T11:10:53Z

Ah, actually…that’s the one I mean, iSD! Sorry, it’s all a blur as I head towards south London!

2007-05-21T11:15:27Z

Get Stuffed on Essex Road always makes me giggle. It’s a taxidermist’s.

Not a pun, but I do like ‘It Will Grow Back’ – it’s a hairdresser’s out near Old Street somewhere.

2007-05-21T11:39:55Z

Curl Up and Dye hairdressers in New Malden.

I love it so much, it makes me want to weep with laughing.

2007-05-21T12:20:30Z

Hairport. Poor on so many levels. Hairdressers are simultaneously the best and the worst at this…

2007-05-21T12:35:28Z

Natasha, I suspect it’s a play on The New Hamlet, the old name of the pub at the bottom of Dog Kennel Hill near Dulwich Hamlet football club. Is that close to this hairdressers? Doesn’t excuse it any.

2007-05-21T13:08:30Z

soundwaif, I too used to love that but unfortunately it’s gone now.

I always liked the florist in Melbourne, Australia called The Lone Hydrangea

2007-05-21T13:51:24Z

The fish and chip place called Fishcothèque in Waterloo pleases me. I also found a fried chicken place in New York called ‘Pluck U!’. There is also Abrakebabra which is just special…even if its got rubbish food

2007-05-21T13:55:41Z

This is almost as good as reading Metro.

Oh well, may as well join in. Upmarket painter & decorator: Esprit Decor.

2007-05-21T13:59:18Z

The gents hairdressers in Kew is called Al’s Clip Joint. Genius, absolute genius.

2007-05-21T18:27:16Z

It always makes me laugh at the irony when i go into Tesco “express” at Liverpool street – someone must have pissed their pants when they thought of that one

bastards

2007-05-21T18:31:21Z

There’s an opticians in Chingford called ‘Seymour Clearly’. Always make me laugh when I go past it.

2007-05-21T18:34:45Z

The camping/outdoors shop in Warrington, where I used to live had a big banner proclaiming “Now is the season of our discount tents”. It was there for years. and I laughed every time I saw it. laughing again now actually…....

2007-05-21T19:51:20Z

There’s a place on Great Newport St called ‘Bags Bunny’. They sell an inordinate amount of shit, including bags. No bunnies though.

2007-05-21T19:55:40Z

Heftmaid I saw that Jim’ll mix it lorry as well today – were you in Hoxton? I thought I’d been given a bad poached egg and was hallucinating as a result…

For utterly puerile reasons, and no pun present whatsoever, I really like Rimworld on the Walworth Road. It sells hats. But I like the idea of yardies getting some lucky pierre action round the back…

there’s also the simply dreadful wooden furniture shop pine-oak-ios on Whitecross Street. But it’s obviously been closed for a long long time. For good reason. Maybe they got menaced for having a shit name.

2007-05-21T19:57:17Z

We’ve got a couple of local shops with odd pun names.

one is a furnature shop called ’ simply knot pine’. the other is a hairdressers run by twin girls called ’ sizzor sisters’, just wondering if they knew the connection to the group and if they are okay to use this name?

both shops are in Hayes middlesex, West London.

2007-05-21T20:28:49Z

Sorry to stray from London but I’d be barking not to mention this

2007-05-21T21:30:01Z

I saw a sports shop recently called ’ Fishing Tickle’.

Not sure of it was a pun or just badly spelt!!

2007-05-21T23:30:27Z

I was on the bus going past Waterloo this evening and there’s a fish ‘n’ chip shop called Fishcotheque. Genius.

2007-05-22T07:18:36Z

@Marco – that’s fantastic – the name’s shit but the tagline’s fucking classic. :o)

2007-05-22T09:18:42Z

A florist in Lee: “Fleurs de Lee”

2007-05-22T09:24:33Z

Theres an old ladies fashion shop near my sisters in Welling called Supertramps Ladies fashion

2007-05-22T10:03:39Z

Freedapeople I was in Camberwell when I saw the Jim’ll Mix It cement mixer. Not far from Rimworld. Its a wonder my head didn’t explode with the punniness of it all

ooh someone’s done that @ thing again. Seriously, you just say someone’s name and they know you’re talking to them right? Does this go on on the interweb in other places? I haven’t been there so I don’t know

edit: so this makes sense

2007-05-22T10:23:22Z

Hey mew, stop stealing my contributions you cad!

2007-05-22T10:49:05Z

marco – didnt think much about the name then i scrolled down to ” we shoot dogs and just laughed out loud!

2007-05-22T18:21:11Z

A friend of mine at work actually got his hair cut last night, so, thinking of you guys, I had to ask where he had been – the answer: Barberism (Ealing Broadway) :o)

2007-05-23T14:31:09Z

Honourable mention for Sam Widges but only cos they make fantastic ciabattas for my lunch every day.

2007-05-23T14:35:11Z

Ice cream van: ‘Mario’ I can understand. Even ‘Super Mario’. But ‘Super Mario 2’?

2007-05-23T15:41:50Z

There used to be a hairdressers near me called “Have it off”

2007-05-25T16:46:07Z

A decorator’s in Twickenham: ‘Jack the Stripper’. Strangely they’ve gone bust.

2007-05-25T16:55:01Z

The climbing centre in Guildford is called….

Craggy Island

Go on, go on, go on…

2007-05-25T16:59:56Z

There is a breast enhancement centre in Glasgow called “Get Yir Tits Oot”...honest.

2007-05-25T17:02:50Z

And a fat farm in South London called “Peckham for the Peckish”....swear.

2007-05-25T17:18:39Z

I think there’s a fish and chip shop in Covent Garden called Rock and Sole Plaice…

2007-05-25T20:38:49Z

Ah, let us not forget the (now sadly defunct) Galerie Singleton on Theobald’s Road…

2007-05-26T11:32:37Z

Saw a driving school car called ‘El Paso’ in Bristol once….

2007-05-26T11:44:27Z

Haha! Jack the Stripper- I giggle every time i go past that place…

2007-05-26T14:42:59Z

There are quite a few Codfathers around, as mentioned above. There is one on Clapham High Street. There’s a Broadway Plaice in Wimbledon, while on the them of chippies

My favourite shop name, ever though, is Grate Expectations in Wimbledon Chase selling fireplaces.

2007-05-27T09:30:12Z

Fried chicken and pizza shop on Leyton High Road called (wait for it) “Drum and Base”.

2007-05-27T11:36:03Z

In Bexley there’s a chair and sofa shop (the sort that only sells to old folks homes) called Suite Deal.

2007-05-29T13:41:56Z

The Dry Cleaners near me goes by the name of Turn’em Clean (that’s in Turnham Green by the way)

There is also a Chinese takeaway on the road between Acton and Ealing called Me Old China that I always liked

And finally the story that I always liked was the Camping store that had a sign in the window – “Now is the winter of our Discount Tents” but whether that was London or not – who knows!

2007-05-29T13:59:08Z

Don’t know if it’s still there but there used to be a shop on the Barking Road called “From Here to Maternity”. I think “Burke and Hair” the barbers in Richmond is also quite special, not least because it’s named after Scottish corpse stealers and it’s nowhere near Scotland.

2007-06-11T16:47:31Z

There’s a show about puns on Radio 4 Listen Again at the minute.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/radio4/aod.shtml?radio4/currentpuns

2007-06-12T22:04:36Z

You know those shops that sell little arty gift type things that are sometimes called Galleries? Well there used to be one on Theobalds Road called “Galerie Singleton” (ask your Mum).

2007-06-12T23:26:32Z

I know i’ve seen loads of them but i can only think of Beddy Buyz at Elephant & Castle at the moment

2007-06-19T11:48:11Z

Eat and Two Veg, fanatastic vegetarian restaurant

2007-06-19T12:36:43Z

Doll and Teddy shop in Anerley called Bearly Trading always makes me smile…

2007-06-19T12:45:21Z

Don’t know the name of it, but I’ve seen their van once. It’s an indian plumbers merchant called something like ‘Patel’s plumbers’ with the great tie-line. ‘You’ve tried the cowboys, now try the Indians’. I always thought it was an urban myth, but it seems these fella may have adopted it as their motto.

2007-06-20T11:58:14Z

Greenwich has the pretty lame Pets and the City, a sort of dog grooming horror.

2007-06-20T13:27:00Z

There’s an offy on High Holborn caleld ‘planet of the grapes’.

2007-06-20T13:40:51Z

Passed a hairdressers on Holland Park Road last night called Scissors Palace.

2007-06-20T15:21:18Z

How about ‘Wok ‘n’ Roe’ the oriental chippy in Wandsworth?

2007-06-20T15:26:33Z

If you’re looking for a Chinese, can’t beat Wok This Way (and of couse Wok This Way II), down in Teddington. Makes me giggle every time.

2007-06-21T10:39:01Z

There’s a bakery called “Bun in the Oven” on Caledonian road. “BJ take away” in Forrest Hill is also one for the smiling

2007-08-24T21:58:58Z

Ok, this isn’t a shop, but next to the sand pit on a playground in north London someone has put up a sign “Brat Pit”. Does that count?

2007-08-31T22:43:32Z

I realise this conversation is eons old but having just started on this site I had to add ‘Get Stuffed’ – the taxidermit shop on Essex Road. I LOVE that place… perfect place to stop an wonder at the roaring lion and bewlidered giraffe after a few drinks down islington way. cheaper than the zoo anyway…

2007-08-31T22:46:33Z

I realise this conversation is eons old but having just started on this site I had to add ‘Get Stuffed’ – the taxidermist shop on Essex Road. I LOVE that place… perfect place to stop an wonder at the roaring lion and bewlidered giraffe after a few drinks down islington way. cheaper than the zoo anyway…

2007-08-31T22:46:42Z

2007-08-31T22:51:46Z

2007-09-18T23:46:25Z

How about ‘Sliced Service’, the sandwich shop in Wimbledon? Boom boom.

Not an intentional pun, but I was always amused when I lived in Aldgate (as there was precious little else to amuse me) by the clothing outlet FLICK FASHIONS. (Squint at the L and I.)

Similar thing in Earlsfield, DVD store FLICK FILMS.

2007-09-19T07:33:28Z

BNM – seems to be a problem, got a pic similar to what BBB put up but, for some reason I can’t post pics.

I’ll let Savannah know and go from there.

Colin

2007-09-19T06:47:01Z

Something like this maybe?

2007-09-19T07:11:41Z

I don’t get it.

2007-09-18T20:30:51Z

And No Ikea sells furniture in Greenwich.

2007-09-20T10:34:31Z

Oh yeah, there’s a tourist tat shop on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh called “Thistle Do Nicely”.

Makes me feel like punching someone every time I see it. And I’m not even Scottish.

2007-09-20T13:06:58Z

“Flick” was a prohibited word under the Comic Books Code for the very reason that you identify, Boutros. And that very ban prompted the name of the publication in which Eddie Campbell (of From Hell among other things) first published his comic strips.I never found out if Marvel Comics’ Hawkeye character was named Clint Barton knowingly.

2007-09-20T13:09:43Z

There is a shop in Dubai called “Jizz an Furniture”.

I only ever saw the furniture.

2007-10-04T08:30:29Z

Junk & Disorderly always amused me, near West Ealing, second hand/antique type shop. Also there used to be a furniture shop in Watford called Suite F A

2007-10-17T10:33:43Z