When illustrator Joel Holland was yearning for all the spots in New York he couldn’t visit due to the Covid lockdown, NYC Shopfronts was born. Taking his artist’s palette to London, he’s now created London Shopfronts, an illustrated book which captures the vivaciousness and diversity of the many shops dotted across the city, immortalising them in print.

Complementing Holland’s illustrations are beautiful descriptions by Time Out London-based journalist Rosie Hewitson, offering a soundbite of the history, charm and culture unique to each shop. With a foreword by chef, restaurateur and author Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express, this book is a carefully crafted work of art and a keepsake for lovers of London everywhere.

Featuring over 200 drawings and accompanying descriptions, the illustrated shopfronts range from some of London’s most profiled shops – Hamleys, Fortnum & Mason, Beigel Bake and Daunt Books – to those more intimately known to locals such as Khan’s Bargains and the Peckhamplex cinema. From restaurants, to bookshops, tattoo parlours to florists, London Shopfronts showcases the sheer variety that London retail has to offer; it has something for everyone.

The book, like the city, is divided up as Londoners know it, into the areas of Central, North, East, South, and West, celebrating the rich heritage and mix of cultures within the capital. Whether it’s the smart monochrome tilework of Regency Café or the watercolour flora practically bursting from the windows of florist Bramble & Moss, no two shopfronts are the same, and Holland’s illustrations capture the essential charm of each store.

The perfect coffee table book to swoon over endlessly, as well as the illustrated guide to finding endless gems for eating, dancing, or whiling away the hours, this book is the perfect gift for those who love London and the independent shops which make the city what it is. It is an illustrated love letter to London’s most cherished shops.

This collection of more than two hundred shopfronts runs the gamut of old to modern-day London: stately bookshops, umbrella stores, tailors, hatters, and pubs, but also trendy restaurants, bars, and boutiques. A lasting keepsake for London lovers of every age and style.

Joel Holland is an illustrator who has lived in New York City for over twenty years, currently residing in Manhattan with his wife Ploy and two daughters Ella and Nina. His illustrations have featured in myriad places, including The New York Times, The Guardian, the Apple store, and windows across the world. He is also the illustrator of NYC Storefronts, a homage to New York’s loved and treasured shops. When in London you can find him at one of the locations of Frequency Coffee trying to decide where to eat dinner.

 How was the idea of London Shopfronts born?

While putting the finishing touches on NYC Storefronts my editor Ali Gitlow and I were thinking of what we could do next. I was already starting to work on shopfronts in Brooklyn NY and other cities in America, then Ali proposed London. I immediately thought it was a great idea. I had been to London several times to visit with Dutch Uncle Agency, my illustration reps. Ali had lived there for 10 years and Rosie had lived there for ______(a while longer). I was excited by the combination of our different experiences and the shops we’d select to include. That was the seed then we got to work selecting a diverse range of businesses. 

We loved the NYC Shopfronts and we are very excited for the London version. What shall we expect?

London Shopfronts has the same emphasis on diverse, small, family-owned businesses but with more of an international and historical flare. Also we tried to geographically represent each area of the city. We have captured the same energy but it’s completely suited for the London vibe.

Do all the places illustrated in the book have a special meaning for you?

Yes! Drawing each location is an intimate experience. Capturing tiny details and learning about the business is very special. That said the locations included are from a list the three of us put together in addition to suggestions that came our way. So Rosie or Ali may have a more personal relationship with one shop than me, and vice versa. I’m partial to a lot though. My first flat white at Monmouth Coffee. Going to Fryer’s Delight several times. Shopping at Liberty. Becoming friends with Justo at Frequency Coffee. Jazz nights at Ronnie Scott’s. Walking past Barbican Flowers during numerous visits. On and on and on. 

How long did it take you to prepare the illustrations and what was the creative process you followed?

It depends, I can finish one in a day with no distractions. Others take a few days.

What was your reaction when you first held the book in your hands and you saw your drawings printed in the book?

I was and am constantly in awe of our book! Thanks to our incredible designer Alex Stikeleather! It’s always been a dream and to have it come to fruition, it’s amazing. Thank you Alex!

Tell us something about you. When did you start drawing and how has your style evolved over the years?

I originally began my illustration career by making collages. I eventually realized that the sketches I was making had their own style. Over time it evolved with different tools. The shopfront drawings are a direct example of this. Natural. 

How would you describe your style and who are your biggest influences?

I think of my style as TRYING! I’m trying my best to capture the feeling of what I see, and with these drawings, to capture the essence of the person that made what I’m representing. I love folk art, untrained graphics and at the same time minimalism. A few of my biggest influences are the illustrator Ben Katchor, the artist Geoff Mcfetridge, and the record cover art of David Stone Martin. 

Website: www.jmhillustration.com

Instagram: @joelholland_studio

Rosie Hewitson has been Time Out London’s Events Editor since November 2021, and has edited the London newsletter ‘Out Here’ since its inception in June 2022.
She writes about queer news, football, music and lifestyle trends for the likes of VICE, British Vogue, The Guardian, The Independent, Metro, Dazed, Refinery29, PinkNews, DIY, Stylist, Huck, Red Bull, ShortList and Glorious. She moved to ‘that London’ from the northeast in 2013 and has since lived in approximately 20,000 house shares around the city and drunk upwards of four million pints at Dalston Superstore.

How does it feel to be part of this book?

Working with Joel and our commissioning editor Ali on this book has been such a lovely experience. It really cemented how I feel about London, which is that for all its flaws it’s a fabulously diverse and interesting place to live, with no shortage of new things to discover. 

What does this book capture?

I hope that it captures some of the diversity and vibrancy of London, a city with a fabulous melange of different cultures and experiences in which a huge variety of businesses can thrive. 

What was the part you enjoyed most?

Putting together the list of places we were going to include was really fun, but actually doing the research and getting to learn more about the history of some iconic London shops or the fascinating individuals behind some of my favourite places in the city was really fun, particularly where information was less available and it necessitated calling people up on the phone or showing up in person in some cases. 

Have you visited all the places that appear in the book?

Not quite! I’ve been making an effort to try and tick them all off ahead of the book’s publication, but I still have quite a few to get to, mainly in the west London section. I’ve lived all over north/east and southeast London during my decade in the city, but west London is a little less familiar to me. 

What is your relationship with London?

I’m originally from the north east but moved here when I was 18 to do an English degree at UCL, and I’ve been based here ever since. Prior to moving here I didn’t know anyone in London, but it’s now just as much my home as Tyne and Wear and I can’t really imagine laying down roots anywhere else. The book is published ten years almost to the day since I arrived here, which feels very serendipitous. 

How is this book different from other London queer guides?

I’m not sure you could strictly call it a queer guide insofar as it’s a general guide to London. Although I suppose the list of shops in it was curated from a queer frame of reference so in a sense it’s a queer guide if we say it is! 

When did your career start and how has it evolved?

I fell into journalism almost by accident after a writer at Vice asked me to pitch to them, and started working for Time Out initially as a freelancer back in 2019 before taking a staff job as Events Editor in November 2021. I’ve also edited our newsletter since last year, helping to launch it at the same time that our long-running print magazine closed. It’s been really special to once again have an opportunity to write for print while working on the book. 

Website: Rosie Hewitson

Twitter: @ro_hew

More details here: https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de/book/London-Shopfronts/Joel-Holland/Prestel-com/e609561.rhd

Instagram: @midascampaigns