Need to stock up on a few tins of The Night Sweats? A reel of Fang Floss? Perhaps a jar of Escalating Panic? A bar of Impacted Earwax? Or even a pack of The Heebie-Jeebies? Then you should drop by Hoxton Street Monster Supplies – Purveyor of Quality Goods for Monsters of Every Kind.
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies was ‘apparently’ first established way back in the spring of 1818 by founding monster, Igor, who fled his home in Bavaria before opening a small shop in Hoxton to service the many needs of the East End monster community. Then in 2010, after closing for a much-needed refurbishment, it re-opened its doors and is now a thriving supply store that deals with Vampires, Werewolves, Sasquatches, Ghouls and various other little monsters from across the land.
Inside you’ll find shelves stacked high with everything a menacing monster could ever require. Each tin, jar, pot and pack is brilliantly designed and comes printed with a insightfully witty label, showcasing a specially commissioned short story from authors including David Nicholls, Nick Hornby and Zadie Smith.
However, beyond its shop front, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies conceals an intriguing and rather brilliant secret. If you look carefully just past the shelves you’ll notice a little hidden doorway, which leads directly to The Ministry of Stories.
The Ministry of Stories is a writing centre that offers personal tuition to young writers, 8-18, who want help to explore and unlock their creative writing skills. The collection of bizarre and magical products available in Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, are there to inspire the minds of the little monsters (or children) taking part in the courses. They also provide an invaluable income to maintain the not-so-secret-anymore writing centre and its many volunteers.
It’s a shop full of imagination to spark imagination. It’s a frightfully brilliant concept that helps monsters both big and small. So next time you’re short of a jar of Thickened Human Snot or need some magic injected into the mind of a little monster, you now know exactly where to go.
Saatchi & Saatchi X London 