
In any road trip across South Africa one comes across some weird and wonderful country shops, many of which are just so delightful they deserve a bit of a spotlight for their boldness and sheer joie de vivre. These places often started out as literally the only store in town centuries ago, selling anything and everything that the local farming community needed.
Now they’ve moved with the times and offer more of a lifestyle shopping experience, selling food, hosting small events and also interior decor amongst many other things.
One that caught our eye recently in the tiny town of Willowmore, which lies at the entrance to the largest wilderness reserve in South Africa, the Baviaanskloof. It’s called Sophie’s Choice, a name clearly derived from the book of the same name but also the owner herself, and is an absolute treasure-trove of antiques, books, coffee and food.
Sophie also runs a beautiful guesthouse in the town by the same name: so you can enjoy browsing the shop and then stay the night in it too – it’s just as ecclectic as the store.
https://www.sophieschoice.co.za/



