Annoyingly, Glasgow lacks bead shops. Having been making jewellery for nearly four years now it's becoming increasingly annoying and I'm now far too dependent on eBay.
One of Glasgow's main bead offerings is The Number 1 Bead Shop in Finnieston - located in the Glasgow Antique Centre. The shop itself is a bead lover's delight, and I could spend hours in there browsing all the pretty sparkles, but the staff let them down.
On pretty much every one of my visits, the staff have been rude, abrasive and generally unhelpful. I've been overcharged numerous times, and the staff always act like it's such a massive inconvenience to offer any sort of assistance.
I understand that security is a concern, but can't help that feel they take it to a somewhat oppressive level at times. Not being allowed to take buggies in isn't an issue for me, but I can imagine it being very awkward for parents of young children, and I don't feel safe leaving my handbag in a room that really anyone could have access to.
Whilst it's nice to have the option of a physical shop nearby, I find that on the whole you will get much better quality and prices online. read more