♦ By Stephanie Bateman Sweet ♦ It’s always a joy to come across a neighbourhood grocery store selling seasonal, local, and artisan specialities, and owned by shopkeepers with a passion for the provenance of their produce. General Store in Peckham, South London, ticks all those boxes and some. The delightful owners, Merlin and Genevieve, seemed to have fallen into the role of ‘shopkeepers’ without it being part of their initial grand plan. “We were looking to move into this area and wanted a business we could create together. When the landlord showed us the flat with a shop below it, the butcher, Flock & Herd, had just opened across the road, and they had a similar ethos to what we thought we might be able to create…so the General Store was born. The cluster of independent cafés, restaurants and shops in the street, many opened by first-time business owners, has a lovely ‘villagey’ feel to it, which is always a bonus for urban, city dwellers who are looking for a strong sense of community where they live. The store stocks a comprehensive range of daily staples, along with artisanal cheeses, locally brewed ales, fresh coffee, wine, and seasonal fresh […]