Id Est Bristol

This is a gadget shop, pure and simple. Catering for the so-​called «kidult» market, it’s the kind of place where, for Christmas and birthdays, you can go and get your dad/​brother/​uncle one of the following things: a) something (anything) remote controlled, b) a DIY science kit of some description, or c) a moderately amusing novelty gift. I remember when a plethora of these kinds of places sprung up 6 or 7 years ago, but most of them have since disappeared down the plughole of recession. As such, entering ID Est gave me a slight feeling of nostalgia, an echo of the time when we could afford such things as big kids’ toys. Whilst browsing around, I found that one item, in particular, stood out from the rest. «Nothing — for the person who has everything» — it read. Plastic wrapped and fully packaged — a small ball of nothing and all for the very reasonable sum of four English pounds. £4?! What. The. F*ck. If you ever receive this as a present from somebody, I urge you to disown them as quickly as possible. That’s after robbing them blind, of course — as they clearly thoroughly enjoy the experience. Other than that, this place is alright.

When I was a kid, we had the magic of the Gadget Shop to fascinate us. A shop filled with futuristic ideas and toys, like remote control airplanes, touch-​sensitive bed side lights and glow in the dark stickers. (Oh yes — VERY futuristic) But now Bristol’s answer to the Gadget Shop, ID EST Bristol, can be found tucked away in the corner of Glass Walk, Cabot Circus.
Twenty years may have passed since I was a kid, but I still look forward to walking into ID EST and gawping at all the things I don’t need but am convinced I do. A knife rack in the shape of a man? Need it! A teddy bear with a lampshade on its head? It’s vital!
And I’m not the worst. Grown men have been known to lose hours in this shop, touching, prodding and flicking switches. It’s unlikely that you’ll actually make a purchase in this shop, but it’s blooming good fun to have a look around.

Boy heaven for when your girl is in a shop in Cabot, nip in here and play with remote control helicopters, speakers shaped like robots and clockwork toys. Lots of gadgets to listen to music as well, including some ipod speakers for the bathroom which I may just have to get!
For freaking your girl out when she returns so you get to spend more time in here, they also stock weird food, we’re talking from astronauts dinner to edible scorpions.
Find the store next to Dwell at the top of the main square of shops, an area called the Glass Walk.

This is a bit of a mish-​mash of a shop in what it stocks. not in a disorganised way but just that the stuff isn’t all for one purpose. Some of it’s useful stuff and some of it’s fun stuff (sort of like a posh Gadget Shop mixed with something not so silly!!) For example they had insects set into lollipops to eat (ew!) but they also had cool stuff like fashionable clocks. Sort of imagine the website
in a small smartly presented shop, and you’re close!