Independent shops

Oh come on, what do you think it sells? Finest, hand-rolled Havana stogies, plus a plentiful supply of pipes and rum from the same people who run Royal Mile Whiskies, so you know they'll take their expertiese seriously. Perfect for the Papa Hemingway in…

Handily situated right in the middle of tourist heaven on the crest of the Mound, this tiny store lays claim to the biggest selection of folk and traditional music in Scotland. Hoots!

Where did you get that hat, old bean? Well, Fabhatrix, actually. Top hats, clôches, trilbies, Scottish felt hats, vintage style, silk wedding hats, red hats, bowlers, straw hats, quirky tweed deerstalkers and feather fascinators …Fabhatrix sells nothing…

Cracking little shop in the heart of Leith. Although it sells Scottish crafts, don't think for a second it's the same sort of tartan tat you'd find in the tourist zones. They also come with a splendid all-ethical produce guarantee.

Skate and street wear for the boys, with labels like Stussy and Nike, Skullcandy headphones and Nixon watches; also stocks an excellent range of DVDs and is, like, the only place to go to get a new deck for your wheels. Right?

Interiors, furniture, wall-hangings, vegan handbags, candles and art deco birthday cards. Oh, and jewellery, Christmas decorations, ceramics, soft furnishings and the occasional ashtray shaped like Chairman Mao's head. The fully comprehensive range of…

Seriously gorgeous selection of top-end vintage accessories and shoes hang alongside a carefully selected, colour-coded range of 1950s-1980s fashions. The very best place to lay hands on retro sunglasses, diamante hat pins and patent stilettos.

Charles Leakey has been in the book business since he relocated to Inverness from Hertfordshire in 1979. Formerly home to St Mary's Gaelic Church, the historic premises provide the perfect environment to browse through rows of tall wooden shelves…

Situated between a lap-dancing club and a church, Main Point Books specialise in mind-expanding tracts. Fans of Vonnegut, Brautigan, Dick and Orwell will find plenty of politically-charged sci-fi to keep them happy here, and there's a great section of…

These days, buff blokes tan. And groom. And tweeze. And, er, wax. Everything but the guyliner at this high-end grooming gaff for geezers. Grooming packages range from £1.80 for minimal sideburn tweaking to £100 for a fully monty. No, not like that.

The store of choice for the more fashion-conscious spectacle-wearer, choose from chunky and thin-rimmed, vividly colourful and monotone glasses to chuck on your face and feel good about. They've also got a splendid selection of popstar-worthy sunglasses…

Alongside beautifully-designed wrapping paper and greetings cards, Paper Tiger also stocks the famous Moleskine notebook and a gorgeous selection of unique travellers' journals, address books and photo albums sourced from around the world. Prices range…

Traditionalist antiquarian bookshop with a focus on history, Scottish interest and philosophy. Part of the West Port books collective.

Small, elegant 'lifestyle boutique'.

Play it Again* Records are pretty keen on avoiding the corporate trappings of logos, mottos and mantras (but insist on keeping the asterisk). They sell and buy old records, CDs & DVDs that are in decent condition and fairly priced. Nothing will ever…