motto noun (mottos or mottoes) 1 a a phrase adopted by a person, family, etc as a principle of behaviour; b such a phrase appearing on a coat of arms, crest, etc. 2 a printed phrase or verse contained in a paper cracker. 3 a quotation at the beginning of a book or chapter, hinting at what is to follow.
From Chambers 21st Century Dictionary

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Introduction

Dear Shopper

Thank you for shopping with us. The aim of this book is to celebrate the wonderful range of specialist shops in Edinburgh. Whether you're a visitor to the city looking for an unusual souvenir, or a local resident who's on the hunt for something a little bit different, The Edinburgh Independent Shop Guide will help you find it.

Despite the relentless advance of chain stores and multinationals, Edinburgh still preserves its independent shopping tradition. In the picturesque back streets away from the beaten tourist track you'll find shop-owners who are dedicated to giving a specialist service and to selling goods that you won't find in the big-name stores. These shops help give Edinburgh its distinctive character and by supporting them you're helping to preserve that individuality.

We hope you find The Edinburgh Independent Shop Guide informative and inspiring. The guide is just what it says it is: independent. The shops are independently owned and our stance as publisher is independent too; no money has changed hands between us and the shops we've included. We've tried to be objective in the information we present, and the only subjectivity has been in the shops we've chosen to include. (To help you get the most from the guide, some shops appear in two categories.)

You may know of other shops that we haven't been able to feature, in which case we'd like to hear from you what they are so that we can consider them for our next edition; see the details on the back cover about how to let us know (you may even win a shopping break in this beautiful city!). The future for a lot of our small shops is precarious and since this edition went to press one or two of the shops we feature may have closed or their details may have changed; if you notice any errors then please let us know so that we can correct them in the next edition.

Happy shopping!