The CuriousMerchant

Alison James opened The Curious Merchant in Masham's market square in 2020, after a career as a patisserie chef in France followed by 33 years touring as a wardrobe mistress in the rock and roll industry. The shop occupies a Georgian, Grade II listed building at 22 Market Place, stocking homewares, Merchant & Mills haberdashery notions and paper patterns alongside vintage French decorative antiques. Stock changes regularly, sourced from small makers and European sellers rather than wholesale suppliers. The shop keeps to a fixed schedule, opening Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with adjusted hours around Masham's market days and bank holidays.