Nichols & Co brings avant-garde style to Chester's Rows

Right beside the historic Chester Cross, where the city's main streets meet, a three-storey boutique has been doing things a little differently for more than two decades. Nichols & Co opened in 2002 and has since become one of the city's best-loved independent stores, a place to find pieces you are unlikely to see on anyone else.

The shop sits on Bridge Street Row East, part of Chester's famous medieval Rows, and its owners are Ronnie Nichols, Jean Myles, Julie Mellor and Zahra Jones. Together they have created a lifestyle boutique with a very clear point of view.

That point of view is unmistakable from the moment you step inside. Ronnie Nichols has described the store's look to the trade title Drapers in simple terms: "We have a very avant-garde style, which is quite distinctive."

Across its three floors, the store brings together an edit of avant-garde womenswear alongside jewellery, scarves and accessories. Labels have included Ally Capellino, Cannisse, Kokomarina, Myrine & Me and Oxmo, together with Vivienne Westwood, giving shoppers a mix of established designer names and smaller, more unusual finds.

Fashion is only part of the story. Nichols & Co also stocks bath and body products, fragrance and beautiful homeware, making it as good for a thoughtful gift as for a statement outfit. It has regularly been recommended in guides to Chester's independent shopping scene, particularly at Christmas, when a browse through its floors makes a welcome alternative to the high street.

In a city with so much history on its doorstep, there is something fitting about a boutique that celebrates individuality in one of its most characterful buildings. A visit to Nichols & Co is as much about discovery as it is about shopping, and that is exactly what keeps loyal customers climbing its stairs.

Independent stores like this play an important part in what makes Chester's centre special. Alongside the big names, it is the owner-run boutiques, each with its own taste and personality, that give visitors and locals alike a reason to linger on the Rows rather than simply passing through. If your wardrobe could do with a few pieces that start conversations, this is the place to begin.

Nichols & Co is at 5 Bridge Street Row East, Chester. Visit nicholstyle.co.uk or call 01244 322812.