11 Great Gift & Souvenir Shops in Newcastle
A tempting selection of Newcastle's finest treasure troves
Souvenir shops are lovely places to lose yourself in – browse the gifts and trinkets, drift around without a specific purchase in mind, come away with something unexpected.
They’re great places for picking up last-minute gifts or thoughtful treats too and of course, Newcastle has several fine examples – we’ve collected some together that you might enjoy visiting.
UpSide Down Presents, Side
This charming little gift shop by Dog Leap Stairs has been open for a decade and offers a lovely selection of gifts, cards and local art. They’re well known for a great selection of Newcastle and Geordie-themed greeting cards and related artworks, tea towels, magnets, keyrings and such and you just might get to meet Oscar, the shop dog.
Souvenirs upon Tyne, Dean Street
Directly across the road from UpSide Down Presents is Souvenirs Upon Tyne, the little sister shop under the bridge, which focuses - as the name suggests - on souvenirs. There’s a focus on local suppliers and artists, and there are high-quality souvenirs of every kind from mugs to postcards. Local artists exhibit here and there’s even a LEGO model of the Tyne Bridge squeezed in somehow!
The Geordie Witch, Eldon Square
As well as being a very intriguing shop to explore, The Geordie Witch in Eldon Square also boasts being the largest crystal retailer in the UK and there’s plenty of incense and spirituality in the air while you’re browsing the shop’s extensive selection of jewellery, sculptures, jewellery, tarot cards, trinkets and baubles. A great place to pick up a gift for someone a little magical in your life.
Geordie Gifts, Grainger Market
Going all in on the Geordie angle, Geordie Gifts in Grainger Market is a veritable temple to Tyneside pride. Packed to the rafters with every imaginable kind of gift and souvenir with a Newcastle theme, provided by local artists and businesses, Geordie Gifts can offer every trinket you could think of and a few you probably couldn’t: from Magpies-themed dog coats to Sam Fender mugs, NUFC merch to Shy Bairns tote bags.
Menkind, Eldon Square
This Newcastle branch of the gifts for men chain more than compensates for the feminine bent of most such shops, stocking all manner of gifts, gadgets and things intended to appeal to blokes. There’s a fair amount of geekery – from drones to Dungeons & Dragons mugs – alongside everything from Lego to remote control helicopters, desk toys to Darth Vader helmets, novelty socks to toilet books. They even stock gifts for men to give to the women in their lives.
Arabesque Gifts, Westgate Road
Arabesque is a little oasis of ethically sourced gifts and goods from all over the world, and has been in operation for almost 35 years. It really is a treasure trove of the unusual and unlikely, taking in everything from Celtic Norse jewellery to Indian incense, crystals and Tibetan prayer wheels. Their Fair Trade policies mean you can also be confident that everyone is getting correctly paid for their work too.
Prezzybox, Eldon Square
Related to Menkind and running on similar lines, Prezzybox can provide you with every imaginable kind of gift for every kind of person and every occasion. Whether you’re looking for some Swizzles Love Hearts Shortbread for Valentine’s Day, The Ultimate Cheese-Making Kit for Father’s Day or a Build Your Own V8 Engine Kit for your engineering-inclined kid’s birthday, Prezzybox will have you covered and then some.
Elula, Ridley Place
A funky little gift shop on Ridley Place, Elula has a strong line of crystals, jewellery and spiritually/mythologically-inclined trinkets, gift cards, books and more. Ideal if you’re shopping for a dragonfly pendant, an incense burner, a tarot deck or some hand-carved boxes.
Typo, Percy Street
Part of the Cotton On group, Typo is the place to go for homeware and stationery-themed gifts. Imagine working from home with some lush notebooks, a quirky coffee mug, burning a calming candle while wrapped in a big snug hoody: Typo is the kind of shop to provide all that and more. From a Joey from Friends themed noodle bowl to a Snoopy desk lamp, Typo will give your home the exact amount of quirk you want.
The Craftshop @ Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road
Part of the estimable Newcastle Arts Centre complex – one of the real centres of the city’s cultural life – The Craftshop shares a space with the Details shop (which has a fine reputation for its art and craft supplies) and stocks work from creatives and makers UK-wide but with plenty of local representation. The gifts here are very special – exclusive ceramics, jewellery, pottery and carved items throng the shelves – and there’s a great selection of greetings cards of all kinds too.
Logobear, Clayton Street
Family-run business Logobear has been offering printing and embroidery services for almost 40 years and is the perfect place to personalise a special gift. They can personalise almost anything, from t-shirts and hoodies to hats, bags and a whole host of other accessories. They also stock a range of tourist gifts and Newcastle-themed souvenirs ideal for keepsakes.
Newcastle’s gift and souvenir shops really are a varied and intriguing proposition, offering everything from gadgets for kids’ birthdays to joss sticks to give your home a suitable vibe. They’re full of surprises and you never know quite what you’ll end up taking home, which is - of course - all part of the fun.
