Wimbledon has been my home for almost 20 years, it has been a wonderful and tranquil place to live, bring up a family and build a small jewellery business.  It is so much more than those 2 weeks of tennis! The people are friendly, it is close to London and you can still find some great independently owned shops.  In fact, Wimbledon is filled with thriving small businesses selling a vast array of lovely things.

Without further adieu let me introduce you to my favourite independent businesses for shopping in Wimbledon:

1.- MATCHES FASHION: A multi brand independent boutique with a unique mix of designer brands

Let’s start with the big and the bold, the fashion institution that is Matches Fashion, which had its humble origins in Wimbledon Village.  Founded by Ruth and Tom Chapman in the 1990s it has grown to be synonymous with high fashion, a great destination shop for high end brands and small independent designers too. Matches has grown massively but still feels like a family run boutique. In fact, it now has several other flashy locations like Marylebone and Richmond and a very strong on-line presence, but I think the Wimbledon village store will always be the shop close to their heart.  

Matches Fashion, 36 High St, London SW19 5BY

2.- CAROLINE RANDELL: Luxury lingerie independent shop

A small luxury lingerie boutique catering for those looking for the best fitting bras and swimwear. Caroline Randell carries a variety of different brands The staff is highly trained and well known for being incredibly knowledgeable, discreet and friendly. They carry some lovely french swimwear brands like Pain de Sucre and other well established designers such as Melissa Obadash and Maryan Mehlhorn. They also carry a unique selection of lounge and nightwear, that is not only beautifully made but also very wearable.  Another thing about this boutique is that you always walk out of here feeling incredibly spoiled with your shopping beautifully packaged. 

Caroline Randell, 6 Church Rd, London SW19 5DL

3.- PHOENIX STYLE: High end second hand fashion at its best

Though Phoenix Style has another shop in Cobham, Surrey they are a relatively new addition to Wimbledon village. Some people would describe them as a high end second hand shop, I would say they are more on the curators side of luxury resale as what they select for this shop are usually some real rare finds and classic gems. 

Are you thinking of decluttering your closet? This fantastic small business offer a service that will value your clothes, photograph them and keep them until they have sold. Phoenix Style prides itself on stocking 100% authentic products, with a team of authentication experts who will go to every length to ensure that what they sell is the real deal.

Phoenix Style, 22 High Street Wimbledon, London SW19 5DX

4.- KATJA NUUTINEN – COUTURIER: Your dress made to measure in Wimbledon

A bit further down the road, on Leopold Road to be exact, is Katja Nuutinen’s boutique. She is a fashion designer who will make you a beautiful couture dress and the best bit is that it is 100% made in Wimbledon.  In her studio, she creates wonderful pieces that made to measure.  She takes great care in choosing the right fabric for you, makes sure the proportions suit you and only you, plus makes sure they are right for your lifestyle.

Every time I drive down Leopold Road I slow down just to see what is in her shop window and I am never disappointed.

Katja Nuutinen Couturier, 7 Leopold Rd, London SW19 7BB

5.- GARDENIA OF LONDON: A florist with the most beautiful window display on Wimbledon Village High Street

An independent family run business that brightens up the Wimbledon village high street. Sitting right next to Gail's bakery, Gardenia have the most amazing display of flowers. Peony season is by far my favourite time to pass by and get large bunches of English peonies, they tend to have them in different shades of pink from the bright to the palest and most delicate almost white pink. Apparently poppies are a new trend in flower design and Gardenia has them!

Not only do they always have a beautiful selection of flowers but also a great commitment to sustainability with recycled packaging and a zero waste policy.

Gardenia of London, 10 High Street Wimbledon, London SW19 5DX

6.- WIMBLEDON VILLAGE SUNDAY MARKET: A scrumptious weekend Farmer’s Market

Every Sunday, this quiet village comes to life with its new Farmer’s market. It is now a firmly established family friendly farmers' market with a lovely range of fresh produce and very friendly stall holders. It is open from 10am to 2pm. Look out for the different cheesemongers, The Tomato Stall and my absolute favourite: Alfajores Delfina.  Delfina is from Argentina and makes her alfajores fresh, they just melt in your mouth! She has different flavours, my favourite are the traditional Dulce de Leche but my family loves the dark chocolate covered ones.

Another great thing about the market is that the stalls change frequently so we get a variety of stalls throughout the year. 

Wimbledon Village Farmer’s market, High St, London SW19 5AX

7.- WIMBLEDON BOOKS: The last of the independent bookshops in Wimbledon

Wimbledon Books has been in the village since 2004 and they are independently run! They have managed to survive the Amazon book war and I salute them for that.  It is a great bookshop and the shop assistants are always incredibly kind and helpful.  If they don’t have the book in stock, they will order it for you and you usually receive it within 24 hours.  I also love their selection of cards and their wrapping paper.  They remind me of Meg Ryan's little bookshop in the movie "You've got mail", but hopefully they won't have to give in to the giant booksellers.

Wimbledon Books, 40 High Street Wimbledon, London SW19 5AU

8.- UN-COMMON, A chic newcomer filled with European clothing brands

Just what Wimbledon Village needed! This new boutique opened in November 2022 and is filled with gorgeous brands from France and Denmark. From the moment I walked in I realised all pieces were carefully curated and handpicked by the owner, Kate. I loved the brightly coloured jumpers! And guess what? It is actually very reasonably priced.

Un-common, 38B High Street Wimbledon, London SW19 5BY

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST: MAISON ST. CASSIEN - A family run Lebanese restaurant with the best chicken in Wimbledon Village

If you are hungry after all that shopping, I highly recommend you stop by “Maison St. Cassien”. Not only do they have the best corner in the entire village with little tables outside so you can do some serious people watching, they serve the best coffee in town.  When the sun is shining there is simply no better place to be, and while you are there don’t forget to order the marinated chicken. A favourite Wimbledon dinner party pastime is trying to guess how they make this chicken as the recipe is a well kept family secret. The owners, Ali and George always make you feel welcome in their restaurant, but they will never give you that recipe!

Maison St. Cassien, 71 High St, London SW19 5EE

However, if you still haven't quite found what you're looking for, Wimbledon is home to many other independent shops such as Holloways of Ludlow for lighting, Deborah Beaumont for interior design and many more! 

Check out the Love Wimbledon website for lots of information regarding what is going on around town. Love Wimbledon is a non-profit, owned and led by local businesses.

Small businesses are thriving in Wimbledon! So, what are you waiting for go out there and explore Wimbledon!

Militza Ortiz

Wimbledon based jeweller with 20 years experience. I envision and hand create future heirlooms.

www.militzaortiz.com