@Home portal

A little bit of knowledge can go a long way, when it comes to knowing where Nairobi’s best specialist shops are. The @home team brings you our list of specialist shops covering everything from musical instruments, fishing tackle and medical testing equipment to graduation gowns and mountain climbing gear.

Xtreme Outdoors at Yaya Centre stocks kit for outdoor adventurers, including camping gears and knives, night vision goggles, mountaineering ropes, safety jackets, tents, binoculars, compasses, and telescopes.

Ocram Girap at Village Market offers customized, hand-made kids’ items, such as chairs and beds. They also paint designs to order. The paint they use is lead free. One Way shops and Mags School & Portrait Photography at Yaya and Village Market similarly offer customized designs on cups, T-shirts and mats, offering company branding and logos embossed on a wide range of items.

Button and Bows at Yaya Centre and The Woman’s Shop in Sarit Centre stock a wide range of haberdashery, including buttons, cotton fabrics, embroidery needles, sewing needles and machines, rug hooks, knitting and quilting tools.

Horse riders looking for riding equipment can find it at the Jockey Club of Kenya at Ngong Racecourse, which stocks a wide range of equipment for equestrians including polo kits.

For fishing tackle, such as rods, lures, hooks and boats, try Captain Andy’s Fishing Supply at Lenana Forest Centre along Ngong Road, which specialises in equipment for anglers and sport fishers.

For specialist electronic accessories and car equipment, including solar powered phone chargers, emergency security lights, and car jacks, try Auto and Electro Care at Yaya Centre. Lamp and lampshades made in various designs are sold at Noor Lampshades at Sarit Centre.

Do-it-yourself hardware is available at Homecare and Hardware, also at Yaya.

Musical instruments and accessories, such as pitch pipes, clarinet reeds, pianos, violins, guitars and books on music lessons, plus instrument hire, are all available from Wynton House of Music at Yaya Centre. Recordez, also at Yaya, also sells musical instruments, and repairs them. And sheet music can be obtained for free at the Kenya Conservatoire of Music, opposite the Norfolk Hotel on Harry Thuku road. The cost is only the photocopying.

You can buy specialist hospital and medical equipment at Haematec diagnostic at Yaya Centre, including disease testing kits and laboratory equipment.

For picture-framing, Unik Glass at Sarit Centre, Tazama Africa in the Yaya Centre, or Artz at Village Market and ABC.

Sugar Candy in Village Market has unusual, hand-made and specialist sweets for children.

For customized graduation gowns, and uniforms for kids and adults, try Animet at Yaya.

If you know of other great, specialist shops, please do contact us @home and we will add them.

Written By James Karuga for African Laughter