Shops that have 'a smell'

[wiklowarrior]

What shops do you find have a smell that's definitely their own?

Every Next I've ever been to in the UK (South), always smells the exact same. I just walk in and even if blindfolded id tell you I was in Next

It's the same with Lush but then that's self explanatory given all the smellies in there

I used to work in a WHSmiths and very they have a particular and not unpleasant smell about them, Subway smells awful and has always put me off eating one, Sports Direct smells of sweaty teenage boy with an undercurrent of cheap plastic, Smyth toy shops always smell of wet nappies and sticky sweets with a plasticky edge.
Whittards alway smelt of overly sweet fruit teas, I used to work in Tea rooms that roasted and ground it's own coffee and everything was baked on site, and the smell when you first walked it in the morning was deliciously heady, sadly it closed when the owner retired and nowhere else comes close to smelling like it did.

I usually love the smell of new carpets, but we have a branch of Tapi carpets near us and goodness only knows how the staff work there - it smells hideous. I couldn't last more than a couple of minutes without gagging. I also struggle with Lush and Subway.

Our old Student Union shop back in the 80s had a very distinctive smell of muddy potatoes and curry spices. I miss that.

Waterstones is lovely - the new book smell.

@CloudyStorms

Subway smells lush but they pump the smell out its not real

Noooooo. Subway smell if gross!!

Show shops back at home. Leather and shoe polish! I love it!

I have to hold my nose in urban outfitters, thank god for masks 😷

All Debenhams toilets used to smell absolutely vile, even when they had been refurbished.

Not unexpectedly, old fashioned florists smelled wonderful, not just the flowers, but also all the greenery, ferns, etc.

@Mochudubh

I hate the smell of Lush, I have to hold my breath for at least 2 shops either side. I once made the mistake of booking an appointment in the opticians next door. The smell was revolting and I've never been back. I asked the optician how they could stand it and they said they'd stopped noticing it.

You do stop noticing it, when I worked there I would only notice if I had been away for a while Although on the way home the bus driver used to go "been at work today then?"

@countingto10

A saddlery shop, the smell of the new leather, can’t beat it.

Yes! Leather combined with hay & oatty goodness if they also stock feed.

John Lewis near me - about 20 yards in they have all the fancy scented candles and reed diffusers that are ££££ but I always stop, take a deep breath and feel myself relax. Is it sad that it's my happy place?

I mean, I don't often buy anything (maybe a little crafty thing, or a nice pen) I just like to wander round and feel serene.

Harrods food hall has the most amazing smell and it hasn't changed I love it

Charity shops

It's a marketing strategy! Big business too. All about sucking us in

When I was a kid my Gran and Grandpa ran a gift shop in the Scottish highlands. They did big stuff like tweed clothes (my Grandpa was a tailor) but also small things including toiletries. There's a smell tha5 says to me "shop!" All these years later, they retired when I was 15 and I'm now 50 and they're both gone.

Brings tears to my eyes when I smell it.

Athena card shops from back in the day did. They always made me need the loo 😳

It's not always a marketing thing. Yes the perfumed shops are but sometimes it's just the smell of whatever their goods are made out of or the packaging they use or whatever.

IKEA smells like new wood, unless you're near the restaurant and then it smells like meatballs. Ours has a really terrible rotten egg smell in the car park as well but I've no idea why.

Jolleyes pet shop always smells like sawdust

John Lewis always reminds me of my mum.

This is reminding me how my sense of smell has been affected by covid. Can't wait until I can smell all of this properly again.

My local Iceland smells of BO and fart.

@CloudyStorms

Subway smells lush but they pump the smell out its not real

I used to think they smelt of sick!

Charity shops always smell of unwashed, musty clothes

Haven't rtft but can't believe I've got halfway through and no one has mentioned boots! Really? They have the most distinctive smell ever!!

@Scarby9

Every National Trust shop smells the same - pot pourri? And wool?

You are right there! I think it’s the woollen throws!

I remember a shop when I was a kid which smelt of doughnuts (Asda? Not sure though). My DF told me it was an artificial smell - I don't know how he knew that. I remember it was lovely at first but then it started to make you feel sick...