Back in 2000, the only “vintage” clothes you could buy in central Brixton were of the old fashioned, second hand, cheap-as-chips variety, with a bustling Brixton Station Road market being the most popular shopping destination for thrifty shoppers.
Mainly selling clothes, the street market used to stretch almost all the way up to Valentia Place, and amongst all the terylene track suits and nylon suits, there were some bargains to be found.
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The market was busy enough to support its own cafe, John’s Cafe at 53 Brixton Station Road, but by November 2000 it had closed for good.
It’s hard to imagine how busy the old street market used to be, but here’s a typical scene.
End of the day at the market.
(Talking of vintage clothes, can anyone remember the big American second hand clothes store that opened up briefly on ColdharbourLane?)
More Brixton photos and features here.
Related posts:
Brixton Retro Vintage Market photos. New street market on the third Saturday of the month
Brixton Flea Market, Saturdays on Brixton Station Road, SW9
Christmas shopping at Brixton Market, Station Rd: December 2011 dates
Photo of the day: a curious Brixton market scene
Works starts on Brixton’s new ice rink on Pope’s Road/Brixton Station Road
Brixton Christmas market packs them in, Saturday 10th December
Mrs Mills Experience entertain the shoppers in the East End’s Roman Road street market
Brixton Station Road/Pope’s Road car park – flattened!
I use to love Q, the second hand retro shop along Coldharbour Lane. There was a high turnover of stock, with very cheap prices.
For a crazy time during ’96 – ’97, it was actually possible to go in on a Saturday, but five retro T-shirts at £1 each, and then do the same again for the work wardrobe the following week.
I wonder where they got all the stock from?
I remember Q – they had big expansion plans and were on GLR radio going on about how they were going to have branches everywhere.
The space turned into what looked like a Russia supermarket afterwards, staffed by befuddled French people.
My Mother used to buy my shoes from the stalls here in the 1940’s – 50’s. No, I’m not still wearing them.
A friend of mine used to work at Q in 1997.
If you want to see what Brixton Market used to be like, head up to the other end of the Victoria line to Walthamstow Market, which basically reminds me of Brixton as it was 20-30 years ago. I miss it!