Blow your blues away at the best shopping spots in Leeds!
Whoever coined the term ‘retail therapy’ must’ve clocked me darting between shops in Leeds during payday, tote bags in both hands. Can’t throw shade at me for that. Have you seen the shops here?
Honestly, a quick stroll from my flat, and I’m already in Victorian arcades, three-storey shopping centres, and speciality shops. So, yeah, my bonus doesn’t always last that long.
Anyway, if you’re wondering which joints I frequent the most, I’ve listed them below. Happy shopping!
Victoria Leeds
– From girl_from_town
Address: 44, Victoria Gate, Vicar Ln
Contact Details: 0113 245 5333
Operating Hours: Daily – 10 am to 6 pm
Shopping is a grand way to blow off steam, but doing it in Victoria Leeds, housed in a Victorian-era building that’s domed with a Sir Brian Clarke glass-stained canopy, Britain’s biggest, no less? Now, that’ll make you feel like royalty!
It does for me, anyway. Hard not to when the place clocks in at 746.9 sq m, massive enough to host about 85 sellers of luxe fashion, beauty, and jewellery finds—think Harvey Nichols and Rolex by Prestons.
Tip: Park at Victoria Leeds Multi-Storey Car Park for convenience.
Trinity Leeds
– From trinityleeds
Address: 27 Albion St
Contact Details: 0113 394 2415
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Sat – 9 am to 8 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 5 pm
It’d be daft not to include Trinity Leeds. After all, it holds a pretty significant title: the city’s biggest shopping centre.
Spread across three floors and wrapped under one glass roof, it has over 120 stalls, which are mostly fashion and lifestyle joints.
Brand-wise, the heavy-hitters dominate here. Imagine your Nikes, LEGOs, and that ‘fruity’ tech giant we all queue up for.
Tip: Visit their website to know the mall’s current events or deals. They do a lot of those.
Our Handmade Collective
– From ourhandmadecollective
Address: 104 Town St, Horsforth
Contact Details: 0113 418 2304
Operating Hours: Tue to Sat – 10 am to 5 pm
Christmas or birthdays don’t pose any challenge to me, nah, not with Our Handmade Collection right in town. Seriously, this award-winning shop has thousands of gifts in-store, all crafted by around 130 indie makers.
The thing is, their gifts are quirkier and more personal compared to most luxe store tat. A few that truly resonated with us were the birthday cards that sound like your nan from North Yorkshire and lollipops that’ll get lightweights hammered.
Tip: Check their Instagram for discount codes or special offers.
Queens Arcade
– From aleecestar
Address: Queens Arcade
Operating Hours: Daily – 9 am to 5 pm
Despite being the second oldest arcade in Leeds, the 1889-built Queens Arcade is still serving looks, like the majority of its shops. Well, that’s not really a shocker, since it’s a Grade II-listed Victorian building with posh glass ceilings and balconies.
Personally, I drop by to freshen up my wardrobe, as established fashion brands like Levi’s and Dr. Martens line up there.
Plenty of indie retailers, too. In fact, I’ve scored tons of antique jewellery from Alladin’s Cave and my cousin, who tied the knot in 2021, got her Casablanca gown in Milan Bridal.
Tip: You’ll know more about their current occupiers by peeping at the arcade’s portfolio.
St John’s Centre
– From stjohnsshoppingcentre
Address: Merrion
Contact Details: 0113 244 6315
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Sat – 8 am to 6 pm
- Sun – 10:30 am to 5 pm
St. John’s Centre is my ‘not too grandiose but always delivers’ kind of spot. Its two levels tick the essentials of a shopping hub, which for me are wardrobe top-ups and gifts—tons of them.
Roman, for example, has been my little lifesaver when I’m skint but still looking to cop a new pair of trousers or skirt. Card Factory has also saved me from turning up empty-handed at birthdays or Mother’s Day lunches.
Tip: You’ll find baby changing and disabled facilities at the upper mall.
White Rose Shopping Centre
– From whiteroseleeds
Address: Dewsbury Rd
Contact Details: 0113 229 1234
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 10 am to 9 pm
- Sat – 9 am to 8 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 5 pm
You might not know this, but White Rose Shopping Centre has grown larger over the last years. That said, high-street stores remain its bread and butter.
Fashion outlets especially run the show there. I often go to Clarks for stylish and cosy kicks, followed by a trip to the Leeds United store for some retro tops that’ll piss off any Chelsea stan.
Scores of toys for the nippers, too. You can even drop the kids at Build-A-Bear for a hands-on experience.
Tip: Joining their PLUS+ programme will grant you early access to events and other perks.
Leeds Kirkgate Market
– From neilybryan
Address: New York St
Contact Details: +44 113 378 1950
Operating Hours: Mon to Sat – 8 am to 5 pm
Every time I pull up to the Leeds Kirkgate Market, I already know I’ll be leaving with a lighter wallet and a heavier bag. You see, this place has pulled in throngs of retailers and shopaholics, and that has been the case since 1857.
What can you buy? More like, what can’t you? Remember, this is one of Europe’s largest indoor markets, so there’s an abundance of flowers, frocks, hardware, smoothies, themed bazaars—I can go all day.
My non-negotiable stop, though, is the exotic Spice Corner. The stall’s dried chillies and ground crayfish are to die for.
Tip: Taking bus lines 202, 201, 229, 7S, 7, and 7A is probably the quickest and most cost-efficient method of getting there.
Thornton’s Arcade
– From leeds.life
Address: Lands Ln
Contact Details: 0113 450 0403
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Wed – 11 am to 5 pm
- Thu to Sat – 11 am to 10 pm
We’re talking about Leeds here, so don’t be shocked that Thornton’s Arcade, built in 1878, gets a mention. Beneath its see-through roof are some of the city’s top specialist boutiques.
The 20-plus-year-old OK Comics is one of those. As the name implies, it has comics galore, including rare editions that our geeks go mad for.
Welcome Skate World deserves to be mentioned as well. Leeds doesn’t have enough skate shops, and this one fills the niche, with rows of skateboard-related kits to peruse.
Tip: Take part in a scavenger hunt for a more thrilling shopping experience.
Leeds Dock
– From leedsdock
Address: The Blvd
Contact Details: 0113 243 0111
Operating Hours: Daily – 12 pm to 4:30 pm
Down by the River Aire, the up-and-coming Leeds Dock is meant for lazy walks and retail binges.
My last visit had me parked up at Hold Fast Bookshop, a charming nook inside the old Majorie R barge that’s both a genre-spanning bookstore and a stacked gift shop.
This waterside village has your urban usuals, like bakeries, grocery stores, and cafes. The centrepiece, however, is the Royal Armouries Museum, the home of Henry VIII’s horned helm.
Tip: Consider getting from one store to another via their water taxi service.
The Grand Arcade
– From emma_sandford
Address: 20 Merrion St
Contact Details: 0113 275 8758
Operating Hours: Daily – 8 am to 11 pm
The Grand Arcade is an oldie but goodie. My great-grandparents probably shopped there pronto when it opened in 1897, and I don’t blame them.
For starters, it’s a beauty, decked in patterned floors and vintage curving windows. Even better, it’s a strip with fashion, beauty, and food outlets, with happy hour joints to boot.
The arcade is also where you’ll find West Yorkshire Cameras, a store that’ll take you to the golden age of analogue films and snaps.
Tip: You can watch the Potts Clock’s revolving figures move by visiting during the quarter hours.
Jumbo Records
– From jumborecords
Address: Merrion Street
Contact Details: 0113 245 5570
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
- Fri to Sat – 9 am to 5:30 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 5 pm
Is it really a legit shopping list without Jumbo Records? Music nerd or not, this 30-year-old institution merits a detour.
In my case, I swing by for the vinyl and CDs, as there are loads to dig through, mostly at affordable prices.
Some days, I’m there for gig tickets and band merch, so if you see me at a John Lennon tribute show, in a David Bowie shirt, you know where I scored both.
Tip: Familiarise yourself with their event schedule. Some artists stop by to sign records!
Colours May Vary
– From coloursmayvary
Address: The Corn Exchange, Call Ln
Contact Details: 0113 244 2704
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Sat – 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
- Sun – 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
Moonlighting as an event space, the independent bookstore Colours May Vary is ideal for coming across new authors and titles. Case in point: this is where I grabbed a copy of Ash! Trash! Terror!, a unique book that has write-ups on cinema’s weirdest pictures.
Eccentric homeware is on the shelves as well. The ‘poison’ mugs are particularly right up my alley. Nothing quite like sipping brews in a glassware labelled ‘cyanide’ or ‘arsenic.’
Tip: They host exhibits sometimes. You’ll likely find the deets on their Insta.
The Springs
– From eatdrinkloveleeds
Address: The Springs Thorpe Park View
Contact Details: 0113 467 5079
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 8 am to 6 pm
- Fri to Sat – 8 am to 8 pm
- Sun – 8 am to 6 pm
When we’re split between a high-street shopping trip or catching a flick in a 10-screen theatre, we make a beeline for The Springs.
It’s also not bad for grabbing prezzies. Just this May, we’ve bagged lots of discounted toys and stationery from Card Factory and TheWorks.
Tip: The place is massive, so checking the map is a smart move.
Salts Mill
– From ot_rach
Address: Salts Mill, Victoria Rd, Saltaire
Contact Details: 01274 531163
Operating Hours:
- Wed to Fri – 10 am to 5 pm
- Sat to Sun – 9:30 am to 5 pm
Much like the Saltaire World Heritage Site where it’s located, Salts Mill deals in artistry and history.
Most products we found there are under arts, crafts, and collectables, with The 1853 Gallery as the ‘it’ shop, thanks to its David Hockney exhibition.
Carlton’s Antiques is another treasure trove for collectors. I lost hours chatting with the store’s 40 dealers who sell homeware and paintings from yesteryears.
Tip: Their general business hours tend to change a lot. You’ll find the updated hours on their website.