What happened to St Albans' Fleetville Emporium?

Fortunately, it was not the end of the emporium after it closed in St Albans and it reopened in Churchgate Shopping Centre in Hitchin soon afterwards. Today we step into a more spacious gallery. Colourful bunting and draped fabrics hang from the ceiling. I stand in the middle of the wide aisle. On either side of it are booths filled with merchandise. It feels like the perfect location. Each booth is neatly divided into mini alcove shops brimming with antique, retro, collectible and bric-a-brac items. Some are lit up with fairy lights or old illuminated advertising signs like Budweiser or Steiff Bears.

Teddy Bears on sale

Customers are left alone to explore. You can find some pretty quirky items here and I lose track of time. There is nothing here of huge value, but I appreciate such well-made and beautiful objects that have stood the test of time.

I head for the books, magazines and games and my daughter for the fashion and jewellery. Later, we’ll come together again to get each other’s point of view on what we’ve found.

I linger at a bookcase and find a glossy hardback on movie stars. I stand there for some time, fascinated by the photos and reading about lesser famous actresses. I chat with one of the vendors and I’m quite surprised that he is unaware of who Claudia Cardinale was. For Italians she was in the same league as Sophia Loren, but maybe that wasn’t the case on an international level.

I always seem to gravitate to the Ladybird books and then start reminiscing. The illustrations take me straight back to childhood. I was utterly enchanted by Cinderella’s shimmering dress on the last page. I have crystal-clear memories of learning to read with Peter and Jane. I was an average reader and remember being very impressed when my friend had reached 12a The Holiday Camp Mystery when I was still struggling with 11b The Carnival.

Other non-fiction Ladybird books remain part of my memory, like the first Do You Know? book, packed with odd facts like how a computer fits perfectly into a small room; or Kings and Queens of England, which covers a 600-year period. Then there was The Story of Flight, which begins with an illustration of the very first birdmen who strapped feathers to their arms.

These book covers remain imprinted on my mind. The amount of information crammed into them is phenomenal and they were, and still are, such a pleasure to read.

I venture into the vintage clothing corner. My daughter is trying on some men’s shirts and finds a wonderful black Ted Baker shirt with thin stripes adding texture to the fabric. It fits her perfectly and is 100% cotton. I imagine how poorly made a girl’s shirt would be in a fast fashion shop. Next she tries on an unusual wool-rich waistcoat designed with two types of pinstripe fabric. Such amazing finds!

I peer into a tall glass cabinet. The top shelf is filled with small dolls and Teddy bears. The other shelves display pocket watches, old theatre programmes, sunglasses and brooches in every style. I pick up a diamante brooch of a leaping dolphin and imagine how wonderful it would look on the lapel of a dark winter jacket. I try on a pair of silver-rimmed Chanel sunglasses, relieved that they don’t suit me and that my credit card can stay in my purse!

I spot quite a few younger customers. Individuality-focused Generation Z and Millennials like to accessorise and experiment with fashions from different eras. Ironically, vintage is complementary to the digital era, as it is not only a sustainable way of shopping but can be adroitly mixed with brands and fast fashion. Customisation, personalization and frequent turnover of one’s personal wardrobe particularly for the Instagram generation is of utmost importance.

Solely wearing modern fashion brands has become somewhat unimaginative. Expanding your wardrobe aesthetic and taking more risks is vital if you want to cultivate an audience and gain followers on social media. An iconic return to the cultural past has taken place over the last decade. Being able to eclectically combine a stylistic nostalgia with mainstream fashion allow us all to tell our own stories. Embellishments and craftsmanship reconnect us with our cultural past.

We climb the wooden staircase, mirrors of every shape from oblong to octagonal decorate the left wall. A pair of male mannequins positioned side by side greet us once we reach the top of the stairs all decked up in top hat and scarlet red military jackets. Wooden shelves are filled with army helmets and camouflage gloves.

Towards the back of the emporium is a low ceiling and exposed brick walls. The grandfather clock chimes one. I step into a small hidden booth jam-packed with bright-coloured clothing. I flick through some copies of The Face magazine piled high in a corner. I marvel at an illuminated globe and spin it. I haven’t seen one of those for some time. It’s red and cream hues emanate warmth.

On our way out we chat with the manager, who was sad to leave St Albans as it is her community and she still lives here. I reassure her that this new location is a bigger, more suitable space and anyway she couldn’t have convinced the property developers that have now built flats on the original site to let the emporium stay.

• Marisa Laycock moved to St Albans in 2000. She enjoys sharing her experiences of living in the city. These columns are also available as podcasts from 92.6FM Radio Verulam at www.radioverulam.com/smallcitylife.