Paperchasers Ink and SI5 Spymissions arrive in Croydon, and German doner kebabs are coming soon
Openings
Tattoo magazine Paperchasers Ink has opened a shop and studio at 10 St George’s Walk. Pop in for a free copy of their magazine! They also offer tattooing services, but only by appointment.
A Polish takeaway called Open Faced Hot Baguette has opened at 1 Derby Road. For the first few weeks of its life it sold zapiekanki, or “Polish pizzas” — toasted baguette halves with toppings such as mushrooms, Polish sausage, peppers, and cheese. However, it has now pivoted to boxed meals based on potatoes and Polish sausage.
A buffet restaurant called Comboco has opened at 63–65 High Street. This was previously Moj Y Moj, which was just the latest in a string of short-lived business ventures at the old premises of Bar Red Square. Hopefully Comboco will be longer-lasting, though at the time of writing it has temporarily closed again for refurbishment.
In other food-related news, a Polish grocery shop called Polish Deli Gucio has opened at 224 London Road, a Romanian grocery shop called Dobrogea has opened at 3 Ruskin Parade, Selsdon Road, yet another branch of Greggs has opened at 51 North End, and a food-and-drink-focused mall called Boxpark has opened at 99 George Street.
A puzzle-based live action gaming center called SI5 SpyMissions has opened in Exchange Square (just off Surrey Street).
A hairdresser and beauty salon called Beauty Village has opened at 181a North End.
There are several new openings in Centrale and the Whitgift Centre: a clothing and accessories shop called Limelight at Unit 3, Centrale, a popup shop apparently called #popupcroydon at Unit 66, Whitgift Centre, a carpet shop called Tapi Carpets & Floors at Units 31–32, Whitgift Centre, and a discount bookshop called New Stories at Units 21–22, Whitgift Centre.
Closures
Depa Indiana at 5 Derby Road has closed. According to a member of staff at the convenience store next door, it’s likely to become a chicken and/or pizza shop, as the owners have had difficulty recruiting enough Bangladeshi/Indian chefs. It would be quite a loss if this happened, since according to historical phone book data this site has been an Indian restaurant since at least 1961, and indeed a Croydon Advertiser article from a few years ago suggests that it could well have been the first one in Croydon.
A V Zones at 38 St George’s Walk has closed. This may have happened some time ago; the last time we definitely saw it open was over a year ago, but there was still stock remaining inside until relatively recently. Other closures are Pound Plus Bargain at 40 London Road, Blue Turtle at Units 146–147, Whitgift Centre, and Project Fashion at Unit 29, Whitgift Centre.
Latest at 135a North End is now, well, late.
Coming soon
A branch of German Doner Kebab is due to open at 27 George Street (recently vacated by A-Z Office Centre, which has merged with its other branch at 28 George Street).
Cafe Havana, which already has a presence at 20 South End and 38 South End, is in the process of opening a branch at 12a Suffolk House, George Street.
A sign for some kind of business called Lagos Island has appeared at 41 St George’s Walk, though there are no indications of what this will be.
Other news
Le Petit Pain on Keeley Road is closed “until further notice”. However, there are still bottled drinks in the fridge inside, and they appear to be clearing the post away, so it seems possible that it might reopen at some point.
Discount People/G Pound Zone at 29–31 St George’s Walk is currently closed, with substantial building work going on inside; we don’t yet know if it will still be the same sort of thing when it reopens.
Anna’s on the High Street has moved from number 235–241 to number 281, and Robert Edward Insurance Consultants has moved from 1a Selsdon Road to 28 Dingwall Road, CR0 2NH. Menkind, a gift shop previously at Units 31–32 in the Whitgift Centre, is now in Unit 123.
Solnishko at 34 Station Road has had a makeover and is now spelled Solnyshko.
Croydon Repair Centre at 9 Derby Road is now Prime Money Transfer.
Finally, West Croydon Bus Station has reopened. Hurrah!