Back to Where It All Began: A Visit to Carlton Square, Nottingham
There is something quietly powerful about returning to where it all began. Recently, we took a trip back to Carlton Square in Nottingham – the place where Brags, in its original form, once stood. It was a chance to reconnect with our roots, reflect on how far we have come, and remind ourselves why Brags exists in the first place.
For those who do not know the full story, Brags is not just an online marketplace. It is a tribute to a family-run shop that served its local community in Nottingham for over 25 years. Founded by my grandparents, Brags was a small, independent store that prided itself on good service, personal touches, and being a reliable part of people’s daily lives. In an age before online orders and next-day delivery, it was shops like Brags that held neighbourhoods together.
Though the physical shop has long since closed its doors, its legacy lives on in every product we sell online, every local business we support, and every customer we welcome into the Brags community.
Brags Original Shop in Carlton Square, Nottingham in the 1990s.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
As we arrived at Carlton Square, the memories came flooding back. For me, it is more than just a shopping precinct – it is a piece of family history. Back in the day, Brags occupied units 15 and 16, now split into two separate businesses: Carlton News & Lottery and Top Cut Barber.
On this visit, both shops had their shutters down, likely closed for the evening with the day winding down late on a Saturday. The once single shopfront has now been divided into two, but standing there, you could still imagine the buzz of the old Brags shop – the chime of the doorbell, the friendly chatter, the familiar faces that would pop in and out. It was not just about what was sold, but how it made people feel.
A trip down Memory Lane to Carlton Square in Nottingham, UK.
The Shops in Carlton Square as they are today.
The photos we took on our visit capture this sense of contrast beautifully. On one hand, you see the current storefronts, part of a modern-day shopping square, practical and familiar. On the other, we have included some treasured old photos of the original Brags in its heyday – bright, full of life, and proudly serving the local community.
Wyn Baxter, my Gran – often seen at the till, radiating warm energy and a smile for every customer in the 1980s and 90s.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
The shop may no longer be there, but the spirit of Brags remains very much alive – not just in our memories, but in the way we run our business today. What we felt most on our visit was not sadness, but a warm sense of continuity. Yes, things have changed. Yes, the shop as it once was no longer exists. But the values behind it – community, trust, quality, care – still shape everything we do with Brags online.
Walking around Carlton Square, there was a sense of familiarity, a comfort in knowing that while buildings and businesses evolve, the legacy of what once stood there does not have to be lost. It simply finds new ways to live on. In our case, it is through the Brags website and platform, where we now connect sellers and customers across the UK with that same community-driven mindset.
Bringing the Past Into the Present
At Brags today, we are not trying to recreate the past exactly as it was – but we are trying to keep its best qualities alive. We believe in buying from people, not just platforms. We believe in supporting local, in championing independent sellers, and in making shopping personal again.
Every time a customer buys from Brags, they are part of a story that started decades ago in Carlton Square. Every item posted by one of our UK sellers carries a little bit of that original shop spirit – the care, the pride, and the desire to offer something meaningful.
We have come a long way since those early days in Nottingham, but the foundations are the same. That visit to Carlton reminded us just how important it is to stay grounded in those roots, especially as we continue to grow and evolve as a business.
The back entrance to the Carlton Square Shops, where the deliveries came in and memories were made – I remember my Grandad working here like it was yesterday.
Reflections on a Saturday Evening
There was a quietness to Carlton Square that evening, with most of the shops closed and the air a little cooler as the sun started to dip. But even with shutters down, there was warmth. Perhaps it came from the memories, or maybe from the sense that life carries on – new businesses, new faces, but the same community spirit underpinning it all.
We took time to stand where the entrance used to be. To look through the lens of the present and imagine the laughter, the conversations, the regulars who came in for a quick shop and stayed for a longer chat. Those little everyday moments were what made Brags special. And now, with our digital platform, we are working hard to make sure those kinds of connections still happen – just in new ways.
Why It Matters
This was not just a nostalgic visit. It was a reminder of why we do what we do. Brags online is here because of the shop that once stood proudly in Carlton Square. It is here because of the dedication my grandparents showed to their community. And it is here because people still value genuine, local shopping – even in a digital world.
We are proud to carry that legacy forward, to turn something deeply personal into something that can benefit small sellers and shoppers all over the UK. The shop might no longer be part of the high street, but its heart lives on in every part of Brags today.
A Thank You to Our Community
To those who shopped at the original Brags, thank you for being part of its story. To those discovering us now, thank you for continuing the journey. And to the city of Nottingham – especially Carlton – you will always be at the centre of what Brags stands for.
This trip reminded us that legacies are not just left behind. They are carried forward. We are excited for what the future holds, and we will never forget where it all started.
Stay tuned as we continue to share more from the Brags journey!
