Rye has just a few chain shops and a lot of independents. Trawling its eclectic vintage/antique shops can take a day in itself, and many places present their wares beautifully, making the shopping experience itself a joy, regardless of whether you buy.
Guide to Rye: Shops
Puckhaber
Specialists in French decorative antiques – think elegantly aged wrought-iron garden furniture, oak refectory tables and hessian-upholstered seating – Puckhaber’s Rye outpost (it started out in London’s Fulham, where the original shop remains) has morphed into more of a lifestyle store. This means that sitting artfully alongside the antiques, there are products that complement Puckhaber’s distinctive aesthetic, including cosy wool blankets from Forestry Wool, heavenly fragrances from cult Brooklyn brand DS & Durga and nail polish from Milan’s Licia Florio.