The first thing that hits visitors entering Aberdeen’s new graffiti art supply shop isn’t what they might expect…
Rather than the smell of spray paint, it’s the unmistakable whiff of whisky from stacks of pungent casks that fills the air.
Serving as makeshift furniture, they are just one creative touch that owner Kirsty Mackenzie has added to the quirky recent addition to George Street.
The florist and her partner Lloyd Kilbride took over the former Spar last spring.
It had served as a grocery shop for more than 50 years before then.
Transforming it was a labour of love that dominated months of their lives, and turned up some surprising echoes of its past.
But now, with a heavy heart, they are having to throw in the towel – as they plan a return to Edinburgh.
The pair just hope that someone else shares their vision, and that the shop can live on after they leave.
Aberdeen shop pioneered new trend in 1960s…
The 371 George Street address dates back decades, and was at the forefront of the “self-service” supermarket movement in the late 1960s.
Before this societal shift, shopkeepers would pluck items from the shelves for customers, while weighing out food and slicing just the right amount of meat.
So it was something of a novelty when people stocking up at the Northern Co-op (Norco) store there were able to grab their own goods.
Now the same building could be helping to spearhead another Aberdeen revolution – the city’s transformation into an art mecca.
‘It’s crazy there’s nothing like this here’
Kirsty, a Gray’s School of Art graduate, tells us how she and Lloyd formed the idea for their OGES Aberdeen graffiti shop.
Sitting on a whisky barrel stool, she tells us: “We just saw a big gap in the market here…
“There’s so many pieces of street art here, especially with the famous Nuart murals.
“It seems crazy there’s not many independent art supply shops like this.”
Kirsty continues: “We are into different kinds of art, which is what spray-paint is all about really.
“And we have tried to create a really nice vibe here, while also pointing people in the direction of walls to legally practise graffiti art on.
“We were looking for a place for a wee while, and just became drawn to this shop.”
Not too far from the George Street site, there are such walls at Sunnybank Park and at the rear of the Kittybrewster Retail Park.
Have a look at the Sunnybank ‘canvas’ here:
Turning old Spar into Aberdeen graffiti shop took a lot of work
The store was a Spar for many years, before latterly being turned into a Global Seasoning international food shop.
It was on the market for a while before Kirsty and Lloyd rented it last April.
Letting agents released this video while searching for tenants:
And so began a major DIY project…
Vinyl flooring was ripped out and the lowered ceiling was removed as part of the huge package of work.
“It’s totally different now,” Kirsty adds with a glance around the expanse.
Could shop become home to George Street gallery?
At first, they opened a separate, smaller room on its own last summer – with a small stock of plants and spray-paint.
Now, with its original oaken floor and walls returned to their former glory, Kirsty believes the space would make a great gallery.
And she even discovered an old safe containing 100-year-old receipts hidden behind one of the walls in there.
The main unit opened in late 2022.
Aberdeen graffiti shop popularity is ‘picking up’
But the couple, who live near the beach, are now returning to Edinburgh for family reasons.
And they don’t want the momentum they’ve built up to grind to a halt.
Kirsty said: “We can see how it’s picking up, we have been getting a lot of young people in.
“And there are older artists who used to do graffiti art coming in because they want to take it up again.
“We want to open a version of this shop in Edinburgh, but we would love someone to take over this one.”
‘We have started this – and now we need somebody to continue it’
The couple had planned on selling coffee and cake from the store, before having to bring their tenure there to a close this spring.
Kirsty added: “We had such a big vision for it, as it’s such a great space…
“And Aberdeen needs an art shop.
“We have started this – and now we need somebody to continue it.
“It would be sad if we couldn’t get it taken over as an art shop, and even sadder if it goes back to lying empty.”
Call comes at pivotal time for George Street
The plea comes at a crucial time for struggling George Street, with Aberdeen City Council working on a masterplan to revive the area following the closure of John Lewis.
Meanwhile, developers say a new £60 million “housing hub” on nearby John Street could have a major knock-on effect.
People can learn more about the Aberdeen graffiti shop here, and can email Kirsty here.
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