Croydon In The 2010s

The premises were previously occupied by a hardware shop called DIY Den, which according to a Croydon Advertiser report (now vanished from the internet) was opened in January 2009 by one of the ex-managers from much-loved hardware shop Turtle's. According to the lady who took over the premises next (see below), DIY Den closed some time around March 2012.

Another DIY shop/convenience store called St Georges News/Food/Hardware photo opened in October 2012, stocking things such as tools, gardening items, soft drinks, newspapers, magazines, greetings cards, cleaning products, cigarettes, painkillers, batteries, biscuits, tea, coffee, soya milk, savoury snacks, confectionery, and various types of lentils. However, this had closed again by March 2013.

As of March 2013, the shutters were down, a lockbox had been installed outside, and peering through a hole in said shutters revealed that the stock had been removed from the interior photo.

Shear & Shine opened in June 2014, initially with no sign on the frontage photo, though by August it had acquired one photo. This closed down in late 2016, with the company pivoting to become a supplier of black men's grooming products.

See also:

• DIY Week article on knife prosecution at DIY Den
• Photos of Shear & Shine flyer from June 2014: 1, 2