Let’s be real: there are few things that could temper our love for shopping. Thankfully, our delightful city has kept up with our demand, with the design scene seeming to expand exponentially year after year. This year was particularly prolific—there are almost too many new stores to name, with many popping up and nabbing not only the talk of the town, but also some of our biggest awards. But after long discussions with our beloved panel members, we are proud to present our winners. So without further ado, here’s your essential guide to shopping in Reykjavík. Enjoy—responsibly, of course.
Hidden Gem
Laugavegur 16
Photo by Joana Fontinha
Apótek Atelier is quite new on the scene, but this small boutique has already made quite a splash, which is why the panel deemed it appropriate to award it the coveted Hidden Gem award. Created by designers Ýr Þrastardóttir, Halldóra Sif Guðlaugsdsdóttir, and Sævar Markús Óskarsson, Apótek Atelier blurs the line between studio and store, functioning as both the designers’ workspace where guests can watch them create, as well as the place where one can purchase their wares.
Runner Up:
Hjartatorg
Photo by Art Bicnick
Commercial galleries—places where one can directly support their favourite local artists (and get some cool art)—are so important to our dear old city. And what’s better than Hjartartorg’s Þula? In its short time on the planet, the gallery has presented some of the newest, edgiest, and most talented artists in Iceland, from Anna Maggý to Kristin Morthens, always with a focus on elevating those left out of the more famous local galleries. We can’t praise this gallery enough, and hope that this award helps in any way to bring it more attention.
Runner-Up:
Hólmaslóð 6
Photo by Art Bicnick
“It’s just so well-curated,” one panellist said of Grandi’s Listval, a multi-purpose art space and store. “They’ve had a nice mix of very stylish artists and also up-and-comers, so for someone visiting Iceland, it’d be a great place to come and get really well acquainted with the local scene.” While Listval is anything but a hidden gem-just a gem really-for those in-the-now of the Icelandic art community, its location far off in Grandi means it’s often a missed destination.
Previous Winners
2021: Listval
2020: Núllið Gallerý
2019: Nexus
You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2022 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide.
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