Shawlands' most famous seagull
Meet Gary
He lives on our sign, wears the Madina red and thinks the butcher's counter is his personal buffet. Gary is Madina's made-up mascot. Any resemblance to real Shawlands gulls is entirely their fault.
Gary: the facts (all made up)
- Lives
- On top of the Madina Store sign, 44 Kilmarnock Road. Rent: zero. Manners: also zero.
- Wears
- Nothing. His head feathers came in Madina red, with red wing tips to match. He calls it his uniform. Nobody gave him a job.
- Favourite cut
- Lamb shoulder, slow-cooked. He has never once been given any.
- Arch-enemy
- The shop broom. They have history.
- Banned from
- Three bakeries, a chip van and his auntie's roof. He won't say why.
- Doesn't eat
- Chips. "Chips are for tourists."
- Hobbies
- Standing on one leg, staring at the butcher's counter, Queen's Park on a sunny day.
- Catchphrase
- "Put it on my tab." There is no tab.
Gary's feathers came in Madina red: a red head and red tips on his wings, so you can tell him apart from every other gull on Kilmarnock Road. He's not great at the job. He's very good at the uniform.
The episodes
Short, silly clips, each made with AI and starring the real shop. The early episodes show classic Gary, before he joined the Madina team and got his red kit. The people in them are not our real staff or customers, and nothing in them is an offer or a price.
Episode 4: Gary vs the Cold
Gary turns his beak up at an orange and goes for a lamb bone instead. Winter's for lamb broth.
AI AI-generated video · 18 seconds
Episode 3: Gary Pays Up
Gary tries to settle his bill at the counter. We take card and cash. Not chips.
AI AI-generated video · 20 seconds
Episode 2: The Tomato Job
Gary swoops on the fruit and veg, takes one tomato and asks us to put it on his tab. There is no tab.
AI AI-generated video · 18 seconds
Episode 1: Even Gary Knows
Shawlands' best-known seagull works out where the fresh halal lamb is. Humans only, nae gulls.
AI AI-generated video · 24 seconds
Spot Gary
He gets everywhere. These are AI-made pictures of Gary dropped into real photos of our shop. The shop is real; the red-headed gull is not.
Gary's picks
If Gary could cook (he can't, he's a gull), this is what he'd make.
- Slow-roast lamb shoulderGary's dream dinner. Low and slow, falls off the bone.
- Lamb shanksFor a cold Shawlands night. Gary watches through the window.
- Afghan shorwaA proper winter warmer: lamb on the bone, broth, bread for dipping.
- Lamb karahiQuick, loud and full of flavour. A bit like Gary.
- Our lambWhat the butcher's counter has, and how to cook each cut.
- Fruit and vegThe stuff Gary pretends to be interested in.
Gary says
Share a bit of Gary wisdom. Tap a card to download it.
Seen a gull with a red head?
No you haven't, he's made up. But if you spot a gull on Kilmarnock Road that looks like he's up to something, snap it and tag us on the Madina Store Facebook page. New Gary episodes go up there first.
For the real thing, see what's in this week, browse our recipes or come and find us in Shawlands. Gary will be on the sign.