I’m in the thick of weekends packed with kids parties.
There’s always someone needing taken to the Fun Factory, Piperdam or Ryze to name but a few.
But last Saturday hailed a new venue – Bears and Buddies on Union Street, where party guests make their own stuffed toy. And very sweet it is too.
With parents told they didn’t have to stay, suddenly I had an hour and a half to myself in the centre of Dundee – and the feeling I had was of a wanton lady (my husband tells me this is not the appropriate word so let’s say, “cosmopolitan”).
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What would I do first? See what new trends Zara was offering? Peruse the counters of Debenhams to find the perfect lip gloss?
Alas, nothing so glamorous for Tesco Express was round the corner and dinner had to be bought.
But then, like a rabbit in headlights wandering round a slightly different part of town from where I normally park, I had the best time.
Opposite Tony Macaroni on Whitehall Crescent was Empire State Coffee Artisan Roasters. Asking if the tomato soup was homemade, the reply came that it was – just by someone else. Apparently three pots are drained by customers every day and I can see why.
On nearby Whitehall Street was another cafe I’d never seen called Brothy.
It looked great – slick , spacious and modern – and smelled even better with wafts of homemade bread.
Back on Union Street, the Palais Tea Room was from another time – with china tea cups and old-fashioned afternoon tea the perfect place to take your gran, or kids, at half term.
And finally, nipping into Assai Records – helping put vinyl back on our radar – I was taken back to teenage years of records and promptly put a record player on my birthday wish list.
As you know, I am passionate about our high street and that the internet and mall-style centres do not deter it. But here’s the thing. It’s time to forget the doom for the high street is awesome.
In this column I’ve championed the shops of the Ferry, Stobswell, Lochee, Reform Street, Overgate and more.
And I cannot remember seeing Saturday’s part of town looking so vibrant and “of the moment”.
No matter how quickly Amazon can deliver, they’ll always (surely) struggle to get a coffee to you before it goes cold and we will always need not just caffeine, but the human contact that comes with being served or meeting pals.
Dundee’s various shopping streets are not on their knees.
They are determined – and succeeding – to add to the vibrancy and upward trajectory of the city.
>>Read more from Martel Maxwell by clicking here.
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