Post Office Avenue in Southport has been transformed from a bustling hub of civic and professional activity into a thriving community of independent businesses. The short urban street, which links St George’s Place with Anchor Street, now hosts Gawtos TCG, The Hobby Post and Southport’s Bijou Cinema.
A Street Steeped in History
The avenue is closely associated with the town’s Grade II-listed former Head Post Office, designed by architect Henry Tanner. Construction began in 1901, and the building opened its doors in October 1909. By the turn of the 20th century, the area had become a functional base for local professional and municipal life, with the legal firm later known as Cook and Talbot operating nearby from around 1902.
The side street was also home to municipal offices and vehicle tax administration buildings, while the nearby post office handled the town’s major postal sorting operations. Today, the character of the street and its occupants could hardly be more different.
Gawtos TCG: A Pokémon Destination
Couple Levi Bailey and Keira Reid were inspired to open Gawtos TCG after a trip to the Netherlands. The Pokémon shop, which offers individual cards, sealed products and trade collectibles, opened in mid-July in the former Dog Haus unit at 14 Post Office Avenue.
Levi, 22, told the ECHO: "We had been thinking about it for a while and playing with the idea of it. In late 2025, we went to Amsterdam, and they have a ton of card shops and Pokémon shops. We were really impressed with what they have and thought to ourselves, ‘Why can’t we have something like this back home?’" He added that the reaction has been "overwhelmingly positive." The couple have applied to become a Pokémon Play Store, which would allow them to host official tournaments.
The Hobby Post and Bijou Cinema
The Hobby Post, the first business venture from Grace Thompson in her hometown, has been "nuts" since opening less than two months ago. The three-floor retail and community space offers Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons, paints, miniatures, yarn, fabric and fantasy literature. Grace, 25, said: "It’s been extremely positive. We’ve been really busy. Our goal was to create a community of people who are interested in different hobbies."
Southport’s Bijou Cinema, the brainchild of movie fan Michael Lockwood, opened in October 2019 after years of groundwork. Current manager Andy Harrison, who came on board in 2016, has continued Michael’s legacy since he died in 2021. The cinema shows new and old films and hosts a choir and theatre group. Andy previously told the ECHO: "The cinema is how a lot of films were meant to be seen. Quite often, it comes down to us to keep these films alive."
