• meejle@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There was (maybe still is) a cake shop in Southgate, North London. About a minute from my old flat.

    The cakes in the window display rarely changed, if ever.

    The guy running it looked like if you imagine the toughest prisoner at a prison, only wearing an apron.

    About 50/50 whether the glass would be smashed whenever you walked past.

    It was often “open” and had people coming in and out of it at 2-3am when I came back from nights out.

    And there was a drive-by shooting right in that area while I lived there, that I always assumed was related. 😅

    • sol@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I feel like half of London could be listed here. Everyone knows about the American candy shops around Oxford St. I live in South London and every other shop is a vape shop or mobile phone accessory/repair shop. Not saying they are all fronts but they feel like it.

      • Daeraxa@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        The fact that vape and phone accessory shops are often combined into one is particularly fishy…

        • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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          1 year ago

          Lately I’ve been seeing CBD and vape products get added to the shelves of small local businesses that are otherwise unrelated. Like a small consignment store that specializes in kids clothing (i love that place because I can replace my kids entire wardrobe when they hit a growth spurt for about $100)