Cardiff button shop turns 30

Claire Grove Buttons is one of the oldest shops in Castle Arcade

Claire Grove Buttons has recently celebrated its 30^th anniversary, making it one of the oldest shops in Castle Arcade.

October 2012 heralded 30 years of Cardiff-based button business for this quirky, independent retailer. The only button shop in town, it sells approximately 5000 lines of buttons which have been sourced from the backstreets of Udaipur to the homes of local artists.

Customers range from keen knitters eager to trim their latest projects to amateurs looking to spruce up their outfits without spending a fortune. Make-your-own button jewellery is also a popular side-line.

Owner Claire Grove says that the current resurgence in handmade crafts is a blast from the 80s. “People use buttons for more than doing up their clothes – they’re an expression of art and individuality.”

5000 lines of buttons jostle for space

Alt. Cardiff hit the button shop in search of the perfect button purchases. Here’s what they came up with …

1. Best for design:

Hand painted by a small family business in Kashmir, this is a feat of intricate artwork.

2. Best for novelty:

This button has been roughly hewn from Welsh slate.

3. Best for size:

This grainy wooden button has a 3-inch diameter.

4. Best for fun:

Add a whimsical twist to any outfit with this metal teapot button.

5. Best for oddity:

A camel’s tooth, painstakingly carved into a button.