I was just browsing through my favorite groups when I found a great prompt from a guy called Patrick, which asked us to
“Come up with names of shops, stores, taverns, etc. That are all puns.”
And I thought well… We happen to have one of the most creative communities out there, why can’t we contribute to this and create a resource for everyone to have easily accessible.
Going through the answers to the worldbuilding prompt I have picked/curated some for you but
I would love to see yours in the comments below
BONUS POINTS:
Write a full article using this prompt and paste it below!
The list
Inns
Dew Drop Inn, Druid owned Inn
The Old Inn and Out
The Horse You Rode Inn
Bargewright Inn
The Donkomin Inn (Don’t come in)
The Meadian. Their signature drink is mead and the inn lies exactly halfway between two cities on a particularly long road
Smiths & Artisants
Hung Lo’s Hammers, Blacksmith
Stores
Nice To Meat You, Butchers shop
Meat & Greet, Butcher and Tapas
Magic Ian’s Apothecary
Seams Legit. a real clothing business.
Skin in the game Taxidermist
Oh My Cod, Fish and Chips
The Stumble Inn
Morning’s Wood, Bed Carpenters
Religious
The Temple of Dionysus: Ales what Cures You.
Other Establishments
The Cock in Cider
Rotten tomato theatre
Night nites knight night-school, open 7 days
Ryte to Bare Arms, Fighter’s Guild that no one talks about because the laws of the city don’t allow peasants to participate in martial training, or a Shop that sells exclusively blunt weapons
Curl Up and Dye, Hair Salon
Don’t Go Inn
A-nu-bus Tours
Shrimp’s Prawn Shop
Donut Eat One Shop
Come and enjoy a drink at The Crow Bar : https://www.worldanvil.com/w/Melior/a/the-crow-bar
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/challaria-edra/a/hearth-a-minute-landmark
Come On Inn
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/amanic-pierrot05/a/come-on-inn-landmark
Tom’s Toolery, for all the tools you need in your Tom foolery!
The high-end shop for wealthy merchants and nobility, mostly male, who feel a bit less than impressively virile in their appearance due to a decline in scalp hair. The name of the shop is discretely identified by a plaque on the door. For the discerning gentleman, is it really ‘To much toupee?’
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/relkishepta-amphibianelite03/a/trinket-s-trove-of-tchotchkeys–landmark
Torn Clothing – the owner’s last name is Torn, and it’s really the finest clothing shop in town, but only the locals know it because all the tourists usually avoid it by name.
Well, I haven’t fully explored the origins of the name, but I can’t resist sharing The Strumpet’s Sister. https://echristopherclark.com/a/the-strumpets-sister
The lion’s share: a small charity shop where things are distributed according to their need.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/13-mgatta/a/the-lion-s-share-landmark
All the books! Get them at the “Run for Cover” bookstore: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alana/a/run-for-cover
DEWDROP INN
The Dewdrop Inn is a large building of two stories located in Tirfalon. It is owned by Edgar Radcliff. The Building has a large common room with six private dining/meeting rooms bracketing it. The kitchen spans the entire back of the building. The second floor is open above the common room providing a view down into the first floor and a gallery with sleeping rooms surrounds the atrium.
Purpose / Function
The Dewdrop Inn provides a place for fellowship, entertainment, and hospitality to travelers to Tirfalon. It is also a curiosity for tourists.
Alterations
1850 – Gumdrop Inn founded
1900 – Inn cursed and became Raindrop Inn
1950 – Magic diminished and became Dewdrop Inn
Architecture
When the inn was founded it was built with wood and had a thatched roof. After the mage cursed it to be rained on, the thatch had to be replaced so often that a peeked roof with a skylight was added and wooden shingles were used. Recently, the structure has been partially rebuilt of stone and brick an the roof has been tiled in clay and the skylight updated with better glass.
History
In 1850 AG, Grover Radcliff decided to retire and leave his inn to his two sons. The sons, Elgen and Edgar had a difference of opinions on how the inn should be run. Edgar left the original inn named the Lemondrop Inn and went across the street and started his own inn and named it the Gumdrop Inn. The inns are still both going strong under the management of their descendents. The relationship between the innss’ proprietors are mostly amicable now.
In 1900 AG, a mage by the name of Malingar was staying at the inn. He was dissatisfied with the accommodations and asked for recompense for his complaints. The owner of the inn refused to make good on the unjustified claims of the mage. In retailiation for this affront, Malingar cursed the inn to be perpetually rained upon during the morning hours every day. He also hated mornings and people who dared to be cheerful at that time. So, he thought this to be a just curse.
In 1950 AG, the owner was fed up with the rain and the grumpy people so he decided to try to get the curse lifted on the inn. He hired a mage to attempt the lifting. The mage was only partially successful diminishing the rain to a light dew every morning. This was the best he could do as the curse had been an especially powerful one. The inn owner was much happier and it meant that tourism didn’t drop because there was still a curiosity.
Tourism
After the mage cursed the Gumdrop Inn, tourists have come from all over Octiria to see the strange spectical of rain falling on a single building. This has given the Dewdrop Inn a lead in popularity over the Lemondrop Inn.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/octisafell-mergandore/a/dewdrop-inn-landmark
You made me spark back to life one of the warmest memories of my dad’s wild concepts, and now he has a place in my world.
I present you the answer to the ever present “daaad, we have to call the plumber/carpenter/locksmith/electrician!”
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/symbols-of-power-naelin/a/havto-caldegai-s-handyfolk-warehouse-landmark
Barium Deep, a tourist destination and geological sample shop built around a baryite-rich cavern which has swallowed at least one miner in the past: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/manifold-sky-bcgrwurth/a/barium-deep-landmark
First, we have the Champain Dreams and Caviar Bruises Fight Club and Cocktail Bar.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/overlord-lady-grayish/a/champain-dreams-and-caviar-bruises-fight-club-and-cocktail-bar-landmark
And then we have the Maize Inn And Anti-Music Boutique. (Consider that “andante” is a musical term and you might see why the proprietors get frustrated with their reputation) (Also this one is shorter because I need sleep but I like music puns)
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/overlord-lady-grayish/a/maize-inn-and-anti-music-boutique-landmark
I did it! Kosta, Narm & Aleg, a prosthetics shop.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/xalier-evanarix/a/kosta2C-narm-26-aleg-landmark
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/de-kronieken-van-de-drieentwintig-jacob-w/a/wrong-way-s-chart-store-landmark
Someone said tails or belts?
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iphars-catoblepon/a/tylor-s-tails-landmark
Mine’s marked and tagged as NSFW juuuuust in case, but… Hopefully this is alright!
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/uttara-sbsteele/a/temple-of-fuxlotl-landmark-1
Piping Hot, a gastro pub always filled with the jolly music of a ceilidh!
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/destiny-davidulph/a/piping-hot-landmark?preview=true
My entry here needs a little explanation – the species in question eat their vanquished foes. With that, I give you the following:https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-galaxy-of-the-third-breath-cperkett/a/we-serve-anyone-article
Oh I am cutting it close 😀 https://www.worldanvil.com/w/ekozia/a/leaf-and-let-dye
Welcome to The Humangoes Inn, the biggest inn in an important trading city of the humans.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/dearc-laewista/a/the-humangoes-inn-landmark
Eye 4N Eye Redressers, for all your cybernetic enhancement fashion needs! https://www.worldanvil.com/w/todolistadventures/a/eye-4n-eye-redressers-shop
A ghostly tavern known as Spirits! https://www.worldanvil.com/w/anvimar-ilionblaze/a/spirits-landmark
A type of service that lines the major roads: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/four-quadrants-hughpierre/a/tampu-landmark
I’m still fleshing it out but here’s what I have so far. A Tavern run by a pair of married female dwarves called The Married Battleaxe. How is this a pun? Because each “married a battleaxe”. (play on the old term ‘the ole battlaxe’ when referring to one’s wife) They met on the field of battle and dueled their battleaxes. Story is in the article! https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-bennorian-chronicles-lethann/a/the-married-battleaxe-landmark
Shop of Mysteries. Come in and find out