Labour and Wait is a little store filled with traditional, functional home items featuring a contemporary edge. Founded by duo Rachel Wythe-Moran and Simon Watkins in 2000, Labour and Wait used to be located on Cheshire Street, just of Brick Lane. For those of you familiar with the store it’s not gone, it has just moved to Redchurch Street, still in the heart of the East End in a beautiful corner building clad with dark green tiles (this building used to be The Dolphin pub).
Stocking timeless pieces and functional products for everyday life, Labour and Wait is sort of like a small, high quality IKEA, selling simple yet ingenious kitchen, household and garden items. Wythe-Moran and Watkins personally search for specialist items from around the world, and have hand-selected over 450 original products for their store. They offer both new and reclaimed vintage items.
The shop stocks lots of cookware, such as lemon juicer-jugs and earthenware ceramics. They also offer general home wares such as candles, bellows and even firelighters made from reindeer poo, as well as simple, classic tailoring including shirts and jackets. Items are fairly unisex and ideal for men and women, although there is certainly a 1950s housewife vibe to the whole affair.
Labour and Wait stock items ranging in price from 20p to £220. They have a mail-order service online via their website, though if you can get yourself to Shoreditch then do – the store is just lovely.
