Choose Love Winter Shop Returns to Carnaby Street from 4 November
Carnaby Street Gets Its Winter Charity Shop Back
Carnaby Street is about to get a little warmer. The Choose Love Winter Shop returns to the famous W1 shopping street from Wednesday 4 November, and for those of us who live across west London, it is one of the most reliable signs that the colder months have arrived. Shoppers can reach it easily from Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus, and for anyone travelling in from Hounslow, the Piccadilly line runs straight into the centre, so the trip requires little more than a couple of stops and a short walk through the lanes of Soho’s neighbouring streets.
The pop-up is billed as the ultimate charity shop, and it is not a typical one. It takes over two floors, styled by award-winning production designer Misty Buckley, whose recent work includes The Oscars, The BRITs and Wicked: For Good. The effect is theatrical rather than jumble-sale. Every purchase goes towards supporting refugees and displaced people through the winter, whether that means a hot meal, a warm coat or an emergency response bundle. Last year the shop raised more than £1.1 million, and this year marks its ninth season.
For local readers, the appeal is simple. You can buy something you actually want, from a Choose Love hoodie to a tote bag, and know the money is working somewhere it is badly needed. The street itself is also worth a wander while you are there, with its independent boutiques and seasonal window displays adding to the festive feel as December approaches.
The People Behind the Shop and Who It Affects
The Choose Love Winter Shop is driven by the charity’s team and a long list of volunteers, supporters and friends who appear throughout the season. Some of them turn up unannounced. Friends of the charity often work behind the tills or DJ in-store, and last year Chris Martin played an impromptu set that had shoppers queuing around the block. That kind of goodwill is part of what keeps the project buzzing, but the charity’s real focus is the people it supports, many of whom are displaced and rely on winter essentials that most of us take for granted.
The shop also offers a platform for creative partners. The Empathy Museum’s moving ‘A Mile in My Shoes’ installation returns, inviting visitors to step into someone else’s experience. It is a powerful reminder that the figures behind the statistics have names, routes and stories. Alongside it, Choose Gifts comes back from Tuesday 1 December, selling new, pre-loved and past-season luxury fashion and beauty at discounted prices. The edit is curated by celebrity stylists, which means the bargains are genuinely good.
For small businesses across our area, there is a practical angle too. If you run a sole trader operation in Hounslow or a local firm in Richmond and want to match the spirit of the season with a staff donation, a corporate gift order or a sponsored purchase, keep clear records. Good Hounslow bookkeeping makes it straightforward to log charitable spend, claim what you are entitled to and show your accountant exactly where the money went. Tidy books are a quiet way to support a good cause without the admin headache.
What Local Readers Should Know and Do Next
The key dates are worth noting now. The main shop opens on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at Carnaby Street, London W1F 9PS, and Choose Gifts follows from Tuesday 1 December. If you are planning a gift list, it makes sense to visit early for the best selection, and to check the Choose Love social channels, @chooselove, for opening hours, special guests and any changes to the programme before you set off. Lines can build up on busy weekends, so a weekday visit is often calmer.
There are a few practical steps residents can take. Plan your route in advance, especially if you are coming from Richmond or Hounslow during rush hour. Bring a bag, because you will want to take something home. If you have clothes, accessories or homeware you no longer use, check whether the charity is accepting donations or pointing to a nearby drop-off, so your unwanted items can find a second life. And if you cannot visit in person, buying merchandise online or sharing the campaign with friends still helps.
What to watch next is the reaction to the 1 December launch of Choose Gifts, which tends to draw the biggest crowds of the season. We will also be keeping an eye on how the Empathy Museum installation is received, since it often sparks conversations that carry on long after people leave the building. For a shop that began as a winter idea, it has become a fixture of the local calendar, and this year looks set to be no different.
Source: The Choose Love Winter Shop Is Returning to Carnaby Street
