What comes to mind when you think of a gift shop? Maybe you think of some cheesy Hallmark cards, or a kitschy figurine, or a store crammed with trivial knick-knacks for the last-minute gift giver. Not so for the Planet Days Gift Shop – here, gift shopping is an experience.
For the uninitiated, Planet Days is a small business specialising in handmade crafts, accessories, stationery, and other lifestyle items. The brand is most known for its cute aesthetic, which draws inspiration from Studio Ghibli and Sanrio characters.
It primarily features a selection of local small businesses and artists, which means that most, if not all their products are handmade. Since the vendor pop-ups rotate weekly, the store will always have something new, even for returning customers. The list of vendors is also updated on the store’s Instagram page (@helloplanetdays) at the end of every week. In essence, it is a mini, permanent craft market – heaven on earth for me.
Planet Days does regular creator spotlights on its Instagram, where the vendors can introduce themselves and their products. I feel that this really highlights the person behind the business, which adds a nice human touch. I really appreciate Planet Days’s commitment to supporting small artists, since it gives people the opportunity to support smaller creators.
I knew I would like the store, but walking into it was love at first sight. It was neatly organised, with colourful, eye-catching displays, almost like a candy store. And like a sugar-hyped child, I grabbed a little shopping basket and dove right in.
This week’s selection was very jewellery-forward; many shelves and tables were laden with handmade necklaces, bracelets, and earrings (from Instagram brand @amberskies). It was not my style (I’ve worn the same necklace for five years – very dog collar vibes), but they were certainly beautiful.
For me, the highlight was Planet Days’s product display, with a dizzying array of stickers, popsockets, notepads, and phone charms. There was also a rainbow display of their signature keychains, which were adorable.
I also found a charming tufted rug from punch-a-clown (@punch_a_clown), which, sadly, I could not take home with me.
As much as I loved the experience, it did come with some caveats. For one, supporting small businesses does come with a price tag – the items sold in Planet Days are significantly more expensive than their Taobao or AliExpress counterparts. The handmade items are definitely of a higher quality, but this may not be the place for you if you are looking to get a lot on a small budget.
Secondly, the store is located in Queensway Shopping Centre, which is a little inconvenient to get to via public transport. (Props to you if you have a car. I’ve bankrupted myself on sparkly keychains and can no longer afford such luxuries.) A minor hassle, but I do wish it were in a more central location.
The shop itself is also rather small; while there are around 30 creators on any given week, I walked through the whole store in about 20 minutes. Convenient if you are running short on time, but it is a little disappointing if you are making a special trip down to Queensway.
Overall, though, Planet Days Gift Shop is a delightful place, filled with passion and beautiful art. I would highly recommend dropping by, especially if you like cute things!
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Planet Days Gift Shop
Queensway Shopping Centre #3-49 S(149053)
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 8pm