Discover the hidden lane which is Glasgow's best kept secret

At the end of a narrow lane, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of busy Pollokshaws Road lies the Cooperage, a retail and creative hub built around a stunning outdoor courtyard.

It’s a ‘down the rabbit hole’ type experience as you’re transported from a noisy, traffic heavy road to the total tranquillity of the Cooperage.

Once a whisky barrel factory, the space is now filled with an impressive collection of independent businesses, food outlets and relaxed outdoor seating.

Steven Penman, owner of Seamster Vintage within the Cooperage, said: “I’ve been living in the South Side for six or seven years so know that everyone just goes past the end of that lane, but we’ve had signage put up and a mural painted though which is starting to make a big difference.”

After outgrowing their previous shop on Victoria Road, the Seamster Vintage team have found themselves in good company at their new permanent unit.

Steven said “You’ve got Emily Rose vintage next door who sells vintage and upcycled furniture, then on our other side you have ViVi’s the only 100% vegan deli in the South Side. It’s nice to be a part of a little community here.”

This sense of community is a core value for the team at the Cooperage (which also includes the Sun and Moon Tattoo parlour and retail shops like Modern Love, CW Jewellery and 1 of 100) so much so that they have recently started hosting weekly markets to showcase other local crafters and artists.

Steven said:  “The markets have been really popular which is building our profile a bit.

“The first event was our own Seamster Vintage ‘courtyard sale’ which we try to have every month, but then we thought this is a great outdoor space so why don’t we get a tent up and do some markets?”

These events, which are held on the first Saturday of every month, have proved a welcome opportunity for small businesses after a tough year of lockdown trading. 

Steven said: “We’ve had one market day already which was all independent traders.

“From what they were saying a lot of their indoor spaces have had to shut due to lockdowns so it’s great to give them the space to get back out there and do what they do best.

“We’ve had such a good reaction so far. That’s the South Side – you wouldn’t find that kind of support anywhere else.”

If you’re more interested in feasting than fashion then head to ViVis Deli who have a permanent unit at the Cooperage, as well as a stall on market days.

Their menu offers fully plant-based takes on your comfort food favourites like Philly cheese steaks or Buffalo ‘chicken’ mac and cheese which are more than worth making the trip to discover.

Co- owner of ViVi’s, Ramunas Jerusevicius knows that the Cooperage has the potential to be a real asset to the South Side. He said:  “A lot of people say it’s a perfect hideaway from the main road where you feel like you’ve left Glasgow for a second.

"We moved here in the middle of June last year. There was nothing really here so we’ve slowly been building it from the ground up.

"We are proud of what we’ve done so far but it’s definitely a work in progress.”

The Cooperage is a true hidden gem for the neighbourhood whose ethos of celebrating independent businesses and keeping it local is a promising sign of a more sustainable future.

Plans for next weekend? Sorted.