Selfridges puts a stylish spin on the classic joke shop
The department store has collaborated with multi-disciplinary artist Max Siedentopf as part of a pop-up that pays homage to everything from whoopee cushions to custard pies
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to Selfridges’ new joke shop, ofc! The department store’s latest iteration of the Corner Shop – the permanent pop-up space at its London store – is paying tribute to the iconic tradition of British joke shops.
As well as the pocket money-friendly practical jokes and slapstick humour you’d expect from a classic joke shop, the retail concept features a selection of products curated by what Selfridges calls its “funniest designer friends”, including Adam Jones and Anya Hindmarch.
On weekends, a joke shop manager dressed in a custom-made uniform by artist Max Allen will provide entertainment for shoppers throughout the day, while an immersive manager’s office with giant jumping beans will be accessible to Selfridges Unlocked members.
The department store’s window displays have also received the comedy treatment courtesy of multi-disciplinary artist Max Siedentopf, whose designs pay homage to some of Britain’s oldest jokes, from whoopee cushions through to rubber chickens.
Meanwhile, visual artist Mel Brimfield’s Slapstick Generator sculpture draws on the physical comedy of cartoons, vaudeville cinema, and rickety contraptions. Inspired by Heath Robinson, the giant boulder at the centre of the sculpture fittingly appears poised to flatten the Selfridges concierge desk.
Alongside the pop-up, which is open until March 30, throughout the month Selfridges will spotlight some of the UK’s most famous independent joke shops across its social channels, including Dinsdale’s Famous Joke and Trick Shop in Hull, The Scarborough Joke and Magic Shop, Tam Shepherds Trick Shop in Glasgow, and Southport and Cardiff’s Joke Shops.
