Background

Giant Kitten — Corn Exchange, Leeds

A compact, colourful boutique in the Corn Exchange specialising in kawaii imports, indie tees, vinyl and quirky gifts from local makers.

4.5

Giant Kitten is an independent, kitsch-filled gift and clothing boutique tucked inside Leeds Corn Exchange, known for its kawaii imports, playful homewares, vinyl selection and locally made collaborations. Bright displays, a wall of plush and rotating small-press cards make it a go-to for unique presents, student-designed tees and collectible curios that blend vintage, Japanese and indie British styles.

A brief summary to Giant Kitten

  • Giant Kitten 11 Corn Exchange, Call Ln, Leeds, Leeds, LS1 7BR, GB
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.25 to 1 hours
  • Budget
  • Environment icon Indoor
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
  • Monday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Tuesday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Thursday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Friday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Saturday 10:30 am-5:30 pm
  • Sunday 11 am-4:30 pm

Local tips

  • Browse slowly—many small, giftable items are tucked into corners and on lower shelves.
  • Look for collaboration tees and locally made cards that change seasonally.
  • If you’re after vinyl or limited items, ask staff; stock can be rotated or reserved.
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Giant Kitten location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Any Weather
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures

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Discover more about Giant Kitten

A playful corner of the Corn Exchange

Giant Kitten occupies a compact footprint within the curved, Victorian trading hall of Leeds Corn Exchange, and its interior reflects that closeness: compact shelving, dense displays and colourful racks turn every glance into a small discovery. The shop favours a kitsch, kawaii and retro-inflected palette — think pastel plush, character-branded trinkets, novelty homewares and a curated selection of printed goods — arranged so that there is always another little item waiting behind the next rack.

What you’ll find on the shelves

Merchandise mixes imported Japanese novelties with British independent design and secondhand-inspired fashion: plush and soft toys, quirky greeting cards, graphic tees (including student and local-collaboration prints), candy-style accessories and a modest vinyl section. The shop’s product mix leans towards collectable, giftable and cross-generational items, making it easy to find something for a teenager, a design-minded adult or a traveller hunting for a colourful souvenir.

The shop’s character and origins

Giant Kitten presents itself as a celebration of offbeat, joyful objects rather than mainstream retail. Its owners and stock choices emphasise small-batch and artist-led work alongside imported novelties, producing a balanced identity: part boutique, part novelty emporium. Fixtures are practical and friendly rather than slick, with handwritten signs and artist features that highlight the indie spirit behind many lines.

Sensory details and atmosphere

Inside you’ll feel the relaxed clutter of an independent store that invites browsing: soft textures from plush toys, the crisp tang of newly printed cards, and the visual hum of layered colours and patterns. Lighting is warm and close, appropriate to a compact shop in a heritage market building; occasional music or the soft hiss of conversation from the wider Corn Exchange filters through, keeping the mood lively without being overwhelming.

Why it matters to local makers and visitors

Giant Kitten functions as an accessible retail stage for local creatives and small labels, offering shelf space and limited-run collaborations alongside more established novelty imports. For visitors it represents a concentrated snapshot of Leeds’ independent retail culture — an approachable place to buy locally produced design-led items and affordable artful gifts, often unavailable in national chains.

Practical visiting notes without directions

The shop is best explored slowly: allow time to peer into corners and racks, and check seasonal displays for limited runs and collaborations. Because the space is compact, expect tight aisles during busy hours and a tactile, hands-on browsing experience. While not a museum piece, the store’s positioning inside a historic trading hall gives the visit a sense of place that mixes contemporary indie retail with Leeds’ market heritage.

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