Our retailers are such an important part of the eatsleepdoodle family! This month, we’re charting a course to another of our fantastic stockists… strap in and grab your compass, we’re heading off on an adventure to one of the most iconic travel retailers in the world – Stanfords in Covent Garden!

A true treasure trove for explorers, globetrotters and armchair adventurers alike, Stanfords has been mapping out journeys since 1853 and remains the ultimate centre for all things travel. With a rich history spanning over 170 years, a legendary customer roll-call (think Florence Nightingale, David Livingstone and even Sherlock Holmes!) and shelves stocked with maps, travel books and accessories from all over the globe, it’s easy to see why Stanfords is still the go-to destination for adventurers today.

We caught up with Vivien Godfrey, Owner of Stanfords, to learn more about this historic institution, their day-to-day in Mercer Walk and why eatsleepdoodle gifts are a perfect fit on their shelves!

Tell us a bit about your shop! 

Stanfords is a map and travel bookshop in Covent Garden, London founded by Edward Stanford in 1853.

We have been an essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike for more than a century. Our roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes sent Watson down to Stanfords for a map in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

We are an independent family run business - Stanfords has been in my family for generations!

Describe your shop in three words!

Full of maps!

What’s your favourite thing about running a shop?

My favourite thing about running Stanfords is hearing about all the wonderful places our customers are travelling to. I love recommending books for in situ reading. If you are going to Italy, we can give you advise on maps, guide books and some literature and fiction set there for you to read. We also really love it when people bring dogs in - we are definitely a dog friendly shop!

In between the busy moments, what can we find you doing?

When I have a free moment, you’ll most likely find me grabbing a coffee and slice of cake from the Stanfords Coffee House on our Ground Floor. If not I’ll be going through maps from our cartographic archive.

What's your favourite colour and why?

My favourite colour is definitely blue because of my love for swimming! Luckily the majority of our maps and globes feature oceans so I’m surrounded by my favourite colour every day at Stanfords.

What’s your favourite eatsleepdoodle product and why?

My favourite product has to be the colour-in world map tablecloth because it’s a great way for the whole family to get together and have fun but secretly learn about geography!

What do you and your customers love most about eatsleepdoodle?

Both us and our customers love the way the products make learning fun and how they are reusable.

If you could make your own colour in gift, what would it be?

If we could make our own colour-in gift. I think a globe would be great and would fit in very nicely on our globe wall!

Where you can find us:

Stanfords

7 Mercer Walk 

Covent Garden London

WC2H 9FA 

stanfords.co.uk

Instagram: @StanfordsTravel

Facebook: @stanfordstravelshop