Grouts was a wonderful institution and beloved by everyone in Palmers Green.  You could buy anything to do with haberdashery, from buttons to elastic to table cloths.  It also had a wonderful supply of underwear which you could try on.  People were often perplexed by the offer from the sales assistant, thinking to themselves, where on earth will I be able to try the item on without exposing myself to the rest of the shop.  However this was organised beautifully. You stood in a designated circle and a curtain would be swished around you and you were then removed from everyone else’s gaze while you tried on any new underwear.