We checked 17 independent Rugby shops, from Hunt's Bookshop on the High Street to Izzy Loops' candles, for opening hours and addresses. Updated November 2026.

Rugby has 17 independent shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide puts them in one place with opening hours, addresses and what each one sells. Hunt’s Bookshop, Izzy Loops, Rare Finds and Sass are the names most people land on. We checked every entry against the shop’s own site on 5 November 2026, and say where we could not.

We have not shopped at any of these for this guide, and nothing here is a review. Each entry says what the shop says it sells. Where the hours come from The Rugby Town, the council’s visitor site, rather than the shop’s own site, the entry says so. Shops often change their hours close to Christmas, so check before a special trip.

Dates for the Christmas shopping diary

Saturday 21 November: Christmas lights switch-on and the first free parking day. The council’s Christmas page lists 3pm to 8pm in the town centre, with the switch-on at 6pm in North Street. Our switch-on page has the programme.

Saturday 21 November to Thursday 31 December: Festive Window Trail. A free self-guided trail. You find clues in illustrated shop windows, collect a stamp from participating businesses, and take the stamped map to Rugby Visitor Centre for a festive sticker.

Sunday 22 November: Christmas Fair at the Benn Hall. 11am to 2pm, with free entry. Details are on our Christmas markets page.

Saturday 28 November: Rugby Christmas Market. 2pm to 8pm, with a Big Wheel. The council says “a number of town centre businesses will be open late”. This is the only late opening date we found for 2026, and no list of shops has been published.

Saturday 19 December: Lights and Lantern Parade. Crafts, lantern making and storytelling at St Andrew’s Church from 3pm to 8pm, with a parade through the town centre.

Rugby’s regular street market is also on our markets page, and the Rotary clubs’ grotto dates are on our Santa grotto page.

Parking

Rugby Borough Council’s free festive parking covers all ten of its town centre car parks, all day, on the five weekends from Saturday 21 November and on Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December. North Street and Chestnut Fields are not available on 21 November, because they host part of the switch-on. Private car parks and on-street bays are not covered. Our parking guide has the car parks and normal tariffs.

High Street

1. Hunt’s Bookshop

Hunt’s Bookshop was founded by Kelvin Hunt and says it has been family run for more than 30 years; the council’s visitor site dates it to 1993. It calls itself Rugby’s independent bookshop and says it holds the town’s largest selection of paperbacks and hardbacks, along with pre-loved books.

Its site has a Christmas 2026 section and says it can order in titles it does not stock. For delivery in time for Christmas, it asks for online orders by 20 December with tracked 24-hour delivery.

The visitor site lists seven-day opening, but the shop’s own site says Monday to Saturday, so we have used that.

Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm
Call 01788 551867
Address 9 High Street, CV21 3BG
Website huntsbookshop.com
Good for new books, pre-loved books, children's books, book orders

2. Rare Finds Gift Shop

Rare Finds describes itself as “no ordinary gift shop”, selling hard-to-find, vintage, handmade and collectable gifts. It says its inspiration came from a shop in Sorrento, Italy, that gave small craftsmen and emerging designers a place to sell.

Its site has a Christmas section with a vintage Christmas range. We could not find published opening hours on its site or the council’s, so ring before making a special trip.

Call 01788 879045
Address 20 High Street, CV21 3BG
Website rarefindsgiftshop.co.uk
Good for unusual gifts, vintage Christmas, collectables, hand-painted boxes

3. Hokey Poke Games

Hokey Poke Games says it wants to be “the kind of card shop we would want to visit ourselves”. It sells trading card games including Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!, along with board games, plushes and accessories.

Its hours are unusual, with evening opening on three weekdays. It is also the only shop in this guide that lists Sunday hours.

Open Mon, Thu and Fri 4pm to 10pm; Sat and Sun 11am to 5pm; closed Tue and Wed
Address 13 High Street, CV21 3BG
Website hokeypokegames.co.uk
Good for trading cards, board games, plushes, gifts for collectors

Regent Street

4. Izzy Loops

Izzy Loops says it began in 2014 with handmade jewellery sold at local fairs, then moved from Fargo Village in Coventry to Regent Street. It now pours its own soy candles in store and stocks homeware, jewellery, soaps and Annie Sloan paint.

Its Christmas Shop sells baubles, decorations and stocking fillers. On 5 November its site listed a Christmas wreath making workshop and a free registration for a shopping evening with £5 off, and we could not read that evening’s date.

Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm
Price candles from £8.99; Christmas wreath workshop £65
Call 01788 574401
Address 20 Regent Street, CV21 2PY
Website izzyloops.co.uk
Good for candles, Christmas decorations, homeware, workshops

5. Sass

Sass says it was established in 2015 to offer “an alternative to chain stores”. It describes itself as an independent fashion and lifestyle boutique, selling women’s clothing, accessories and gifts from British, French and Scandinavian brands.

Its site names Nümph and Kaffe among them and offers free collection in store. We could not find published opening hours, so ring before a special trip.

Call 01788 571811
Address 22 Regent Street, CV21 2PZ
Website sassstyle.co.uk
Good for womenswear, accessories, gifts, click and collect

6. M&M Jewellers

M&M Jewellers is a family business, and says Francesca, the eldest daughter, is the third generation of jewellers in the family. It describes its aim as high quality jewellery at affordable prices with a traditional service.

It sells jewellery and wedding and engagement rings, and its team includes a watch department. It closes on Mondays as well as Sundays.

Open Tue to Fri 9am to 5pm; Sat 9am to 4pm; closed Sun and Mon
Call 01788 569641
Address 10 Regent Street, CV21 2QF
Website mandmjewellersrugby.co.uk
Good for jewellery, engagement rings, watches

7. Anna Lorimer

Anna Lorimer is a painter who took a fine art degree at Winchester School of Art and reopened her art and framing business in Rugby in November 2013. Her site says her work starts with a composition from travel in Europe, built up with collage and finished in paint.

It offers paintings and prints, with a separate gallery and bespoke framing service. Her contact page invites appointments by phone.

Open Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Call 07947 128337
Address 29 Regent Street, CV21 2PE
Website annalorimer.co.uk
Good for original paintings, prints, bespoke framing

Bank Street

8. Terracotta

Terracotta says it began in 1993 when Diane opened a boutique in what it calls the oldest shop in Rugby, and moved to Bank Street after 19 years. It is still a family business, now run by her daughter Anna, who presents the shop’s online videos.

It sells womenswear and accessories and offers styling advice in store. Hours are from the council’s visitor site, as we did not find them on the shop’s own site.

Open Mon 10am to 2pm; Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Call 01788 570076
Address 13 Bank Street, CV21 2QE
Website terracotta.boutique
Good for womenswear, accessories, styling advice

9. Hills Goldsmiths

Hills Goldsmiths specialises in bespoke handcrafted gold and silver jewellery, and says all its handmade pieces and repairs are carried out in its own workshop on the premises. It also offers remodelling and design.

Commissions take time, so ask early if a piece is meant for Christmas Day. It closes on Wednesdays.

Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri and Sat 9am to 5pm; closed Wed and Sun
Call 01788 561576
Address 8-10 Bank Street, CV21 2QE
Website hillsgoldsmiths.co.uk
Good for bespoke jewellery, remodelling, repairs

10. Wild & Free

Wild & Free has been independent since 2003 and sells natural and organic groceries, wholefoods, supplements and natural toiletries, with refills of household and personal care products. For Christmas it is more a shop for food and body care gifts than a gift shop.

It says it will try to order something it does not stock, and that it has served Rugby’s vegan community since it opened.

Open Mon 10.30am to 5pm; Tue to Fri 10.30am to 6pm; Sat 9.30am to 5pm; closed Sun
Call 01788 570400
Address 6 Bank Street, CV21 2QE
Website wildandfree.net
Good for natural toiletries, vegan food, organic groceries, refills

Church Street

11. Bespoke Gifts Rugby

Bespoke Gifts Rugby sells gifts, handbags and accessories alongside the professional haircare used in its salon. Its range includes jewellery, mugs, cards, shower steamers and Wax Leaf Company candles at £15.

You can order online and collect from the salon. Hours are from the council’s visitor site.

Our directory lists the salon as Bespoke Hairdressing.

Open Mon to Fri 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sat 9.30am to 4.30pm
Price candles £15
Call 01788 565505
Address 4 Church Street, CV21 3EA
Website bespokegiftsrugby.co.uk
Listing Our listing
Good for gifts, handbags, candles, haircare, click and collect

12. It’s Time

It’s Time services, repairs and restores mechanical clocks and watches, and also stocks antiques, collectables and gift ideas. For Christmas, that makes it a place for a vintage piece, or for getting an old family clock working again.

Repairs take time, so ask early about anything meant for Christmas Day. It opens four days a week.

Open Wed to Fri 10am to 4pm; Sat 10am to 3pm
Call 01788 726248
Address 35 Church Street, CV21 3PU
Website itstimerugby.co.uk
Good for vintage clocks, watches, antiques, repairs

Around the town centre

13. Stella Interiors

Stella Interiors is run by its owner, Natasha, who says she started it after working for a property developer. The shop sells homeware, candles, skincare, jewellery and gifts.

On 5 November its online range included Christmas wooden houses and standing mice, with prices from £3.95. It shuts earlier than most here, so plan for a morning visit.

Open Mon to Fri 9.30am to 2.30pm; Sat 10am to 3pm
Price Christmas decorations from £3.95
Address 18-22 Henry Street, CV21 2QA
Website stella-interiors.co.uk
Good for Christmas decorations, candles, homeware, jewellery

14. Dragon’s Paper Craft

Dragon’s Paper Craft sells paper craft supplies from Castle Street and runs workshops for people who make their own cards, teaching different techniques. Its site also sells gift vouchers, which suits anyone buying for a crafter whose stash they do not know.

It closes at 3pm every day it opens.

Open Mon to Sat 10am to 3pm
Call 07711 591669
Address 1B Castle Street, CV21 2TP
Website dragonspapercraft.co.uk
Good for card making supplies, workshops, gift vouchers

15. Webb Ellis

Webb Ellis is mainly a schoolwear supplier, trading from St Matthew’s Street since 2002, next to the Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum. Its shop also stocks rugby and swimming equipment, replica jerseys, rugby gift items and local club kit.

It is the shop in this guide for a rugby fan’s present.

Open Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm; Sat 9am to 4pm
Call 01788 422475
Address 5 and 6 St Matthew's Street, CV21 3BY
Website webb-ellis.co.uk
Good for rugby gifts, replica jerseys, local club kit

16. The Revel Bakery

The Revel Bakery grew from bread baked at home in Monks Kirby in 2007, and opened in Churchside Arcade in 2016. It says it won the overall category at the 2014 Tiptree World Bread Awards for its red onion focaccia.

It bakes bread, breakfast pastries, sweet buns and savoury treats for the Rugby shop, and says items can sell out quickly, so it takes reservations by email with 24 hours’ notice. It suits the morning of a shopping trip, as it shuts at 2pm.

Open Wed to Sat 9am to 2pm
Booking 24 hours' notice to reserve items
Call 07564 266897
Address 4 Churchside Arcade, CV21 3AW
Website therevelbakery.uk
Good for sourdough, pastries, sweet buns

17. Polly’s Natural Nibbles

Polly’s Natural Nibbles sells natural dog treats for dogs with sensitivities, describing them as allergy-aware and gentle on the stomach. It also sells “Wag Bags” of mixed treats and runs a “Wag Club”.

Its own site gives no shop address or hours, so both are from the council’s visitor site, which does not give a street number. It is one for the dog’s stocking.

Open Tue to Thu 10am to 4.30pm; Fri 9am to 4.30pm; Sat 9am to 5pm
Address Sheep Street, Rugby
Website pollysnaturalnibbles.com
Good for natural dog treats, Wag Bags

The chains: Rugby Central and Elliott’s Field

These are not in the count, but most people’s list includes one of them. Rugby Central, on Market Mall in the town centre, opens 9am to 5.30pm from Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday, and says individual store times may vary. It closes on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Elliott’s Field Shopping Park, CV21 1SR, is out of the town centre. We could not find a site of its own or any 2026 Christmas hours for the park, so check each store’s own page. M&S at Elliott’s Field prints its opening times by date. The council’s free parking offer does not cover it.

Who we left out

These shops appear on The Rugby Town’s shop list, but we could not confirm enough to include them on 5 November. None of this is an announcement that a business has closed.

Jean’s Flowers, Regent Street: its website blocked us. Teapot Flowers, Railway Terrace: its own site and the visitor site give different hours, and the visitor site says hours are flexible. Victoriana Jewellers and Crystal Craft, Sheep Street: no website we could find. Just for the Record, Churchside Arcade, and The Copper Tree, Chapel Street: Facebook pages we did not read. The Graded Gallery, Regent Street: no website listed. La Bella Boutique, Castle Street: the listed site is described as an online boutique, with no shop address. The visitor site lists Just for the Record as open Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and Victoriana Jewellers as open Thursday to Saturday, 9.30am to 4pm.

How we chose

We started with the shop list on The Rugby Town, the council’s visitor site, then opened each shop’s own site for what it sells, how long it has traded and its hours. We kept independents with a gift or Christmas angle, plus a few food and specialist shops. We have not visited any of these shops for this guide.

For more on Rugby this season, see things to do in Rugby, what’s on this month, Christmas dinner in Rugby, ice rinks near Rugby and Christmas trains and travel, or browse our local directory.

Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@rugbytownnews.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@rugbytownnews.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.

Frequently asked questions

Is there late night Christmas shopping in Rugby in 2026?

Yes, on one date so far. The council’s visitor site says a number of town centre businesses will open late on Saturday 28 November, during the Christmas market from 2pm to 8pm. It does not name them, so ring a shop before relying on it.

Is parking free for Christmas shopping in Rugby?

Council car parks in the town centre are free all day on the five weekends from Saturday 21 November and from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December. North Street and Chestnut Fields are not available on 21 November, and private car parks and on-street bays are not covered.

Which Rugby independent shops open on Sundays before Christmas?

Of the 15 shops in this guide that publish their hours, only Hokey Poke Games lists Sunday opening, 11am to 5pm. Rugby Central shopping centre opens on Sundays from 10am to 4pm, though it says individual store times may vary. All 15 list hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.