Hidden Gems in Stellenbosch
Yesterday, a rainy Friday in Stellenbosch, Ivania and I decided to be tourists in our own town. I sure enjoyed discovering two (not so hidden) gems in Dorp Street. And I actually can't believe that this was my first time (in my 5 years of Stellenbosch living) to visit these stores.
Read further to find out what I (and possibly you too) have been missing out on. Consider this blog post your "inside scoop".
*Almost famous*- this is a vintage shop located on Dorp Street. The name itself is very inviting and once you step inside the shop you will instantly be intrigued. Disclaimer- if you don't like vintage and more hipster styles, this may not be the case. But be sure to check it out anyway.
The shop is stocked with custom T-shirts, for instance if you're a fan of the TV series "Friends", you might just find your next favorite T-shirt. If that's not enough to get you curious, then maybe cool sunglasses may convince you to pay it a visit. (Insert photo). I loved their pair of heart shape, light pink sunglasses, but my student budget convinced me that I don't need it right now. They also stock up on a variety of denim jackets which is perfect for the upcoming winter. And if you are looking for a badge (be it the name of your favorite band or just some cool images) to give your jackets, bags or jeans that extra edge, then Almost famous has got your back.
Pro- tip before visiting this little gem- save some money, because the items are quite pricey and you might find yourself wanting to buy more than you came for.
On my way out, I couldn't miss the sign at the door that said ,"thanks for supporting your local girl gang". I love the idea of supporting your girl friends and this was just another rainy Friday morning reminder to do exactly that.
*Oom Samie se winkel*. Just up the road from Almost famous you'll find this very unique shop. The outside would already be a dead giveaway that they don't just sell a few products, in fact I would consider this a local "walmart". Obviously that is not the case, but they do sell alot of different goodies. From bokkoms (which is also the first smell you get when entering the door) to spices, local wine, old books, gifts, post cards and a variety of hats (to name a few).
This shop definitely gives you that Proudly South African feel, but once you have a look at the prices of some of the items you realize that they probably cater for tourists. As a matter of fact when we were there, most of the other customers spoke foreign languages and were definitely not locals.
We could unfortunately not take any pictures inside the shop, because that is not allowed. In that sence, perhaps this shop is a "hidden gem". And you should definitely pay it a visit to experience its uniqueness for yourself.
When walking out of Oom Samie's winkel I was thinking about what Oom Samie looked like and if he still lived, because if he did I would have loved to have some tea with him next door at Melissa's.
We managed to snap some pictures on the "stoep" of his shop and made our way to eat some cake next door (without Oom Samie ofcourse).
Ps. Ivania did buy some curry spices, honeycomb and a postcard from Oom Samie's so she is basically the face of #supportLocal. I on the other hand only bought R9's worth of nougat.
So, do yourself a favour and #supportLocal by checking out local little gems.