Hidden away on Magdalen Street in Norwich, Here Be Dragons is a shop specialising in the unusual. From dragon statues to skull drink holders, taxidermy to a full-size suit of armour in the window, it caters to customers with an interest in the magical, the fantastical and the slightly bizarre. Myself and Alex Dalton ventured in to investigate…

In keeping with the quirky appearance of the shop, its origins were also somewhat unconventional. As manager Sonya explained to us, the original owner, her husband Tony, started out creating sculptures for the dinosaur park in Lenway, now called Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure.

After becoming ill from working “7 days a week, 365 days a year”, he decided to open the shop and explore the retail side of things. However, eventually people began coming to the shop to ask for sculptures, requiring him to return to his workshop at the dinosaur park – and as a result, his wife Sonya now runs the shop.

As for the mix of fantasy, natural history and wildlife products, Sonya says they try to offer a wide range of items that fit in with the various interests of the customers – “it can’t be just one thing.” 

Intrigued? To take a look inside the shop, watch the video here:

To find out more about Here Be Dragons, call 01603 618491 or visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/herebedragonsnorwich/.

Frances Butler