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Shopping in Manchester

Creative Tourist

Like retail therapy? Well, don’t we all. But what we like in particular about shopping in Manchester is the variety: independent shops, and the sorts of boutiques that peddle one-off goods, everything from vintage and second hand shopping to limited-run artworks, contemporary craft, independent markets and interesting interiors.

We love print – magazines, posters, screen prints – and we like shopping that shows both a love of place and a love of making.

So here’s our guide to the best shopping in Manchester.

Our top picks

Utility Gift Shop

Utility Gift Shop, 128 Oxford Road, University Green, Manchester, M139GP - Visit now

Utility Gift Shop on Oxford Road is all about products that are new, unique, quirky and cool. High street shopping at its best.

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Utility Gift Shop

Deadstock General Store

Deadstock General Store, 46 Edge St, Manchester, M4 1HN - Visit now

This small shop has a well curated range of stock that focuses on vintage homeware and gifts. From Japanese hemp socks, to botanical paperweights and HAWS plant misters, each object is beautiful, practical and well made. A great place to browse and buy unusual presents.

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Deadstock General Store

Rivet and Hide Manchester

Rivet and Hide Manchester, 59 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1NA - Visit now

Having made the pilgrimage up north from London Rivet and Hyde are bringing mens denim brands like Momotaro, The Flat Head, and Pure Blue Japan to the heart of the Northern Quarter.

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Rivet and Hide

Rapha Clubhouse Manchester

Rapha Clubhouse Manchester, 5 St Ann’s Passage, Manchester, M2 6AD - Visit now

With less than 20 Rapha stores around the world, and only three in the UK, the Manchester Clubhouse is perhaps testament to the city’s love of cycling and the place to pick up the perfect cycling gift. From African sheep leather mits and vintage merino woollen jerseys, to more everyday garb; it has it all.

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Rapha Clubhouse Manchester
Rapha Clubhouse Manchester

Manchester Craft & Design Centre

Manchester Craft & Design Centre, 17 Oak St, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 5JD - Visit now

The thing we love best about Manchester Craft & Design Centre? The fact that you can buy unique, unusual pieces direct from some incredibly talented designers. Being able to see right into someone’s studio, the place where they spend hours trying things out, refining designs and finally putting the finishing touches to the piece you then walk away with… that’s pretty special.

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Manchester Craft and Design Centre by Joel C Fildes.
Manchester Craft and Design Centre by Joel C Fildes.

Fred Aldous

Fred Aldous, 37 Lever Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1LW - Visit now

Nearly 130 years old and still going strong, the Northern Quarter art store stocks much more than just the odd paintbrush. As well as covering all your creative supply needs, there’s wonderfully stocked gift shop and all manner of delightful knick-knacks.

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Chapter 1 Books

Chapter 1 Books, 19 Lever Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1BY - Visit now

Independent bookshop Chapter 1 Books is everything you might hope for and more; there are Sherlock Holmes style armchairs, neat café tables and even a running fountain, as well as a fantastic mix of authors – all set in a light, modern space. Chintzy teacups adorn the café, where you can buy tea, coffee and generous slices of cake.

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Photo of a new releases bookshelf

Afflecks

Afflecks, 52 Church Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1PW - Visit now

No trip to the Northern Quarter would be complete without a visit to Afflecks Palace, where you’ll find independent shops selling anything from vintage and contemporary fashion through to piercings, as well as superb sweet treats (at Ginger’s Comfort Emporium).

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Image of Afflecks Palace in Manchester's Northern Quarter
Ben Williams

OBJECT, Chorlton

OBJECT, Chorlton, 117 Beech Road, Chorlton , Manchester, M21 9EQ - Visit now

A tiny, carefully-curated independent store in Chorlton with an unwavering devotion to quality, craftsmanship and simplicity. Well worth the tram ride.

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Chorlton Bookshop

Chorlton Bookshop, 506 Wilbraham Road, Manchester, M21 9AW - Visit now

If you have ever dreamed of owning a bookshop, it probably looked like this one. Pleasingly petite, family-owned with a good selection of books, and even pet-friendly. Perfect.

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Pop Boutique Manchester

Pop Boutique Manchester, 34-36 Oldham St, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1JN - Visit now

A clothes shop on the ground floor with a home furnishings section in the basement – the one and only Pop Boutique.

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Image of Pop Boutique's shop front on Oldham Street in Manchester
Ben Williams

Where to go in Manchester

Image of the outside of Altogether Otherwise at night with people inside
Manchester
Event venue
Altogether Otherwise

Altogether Otherwise is a haven of activity where all are encouraged to make, do, dance, read and enjoy pursuing creativity with no pressure.

Manchester
Shop
House of Books & Friends

Playing a powerful role in the community, this venue functions as a bookshop, café and place to meet and chat with likeminded individuals.

Manchester
Shop
Bags of Flavour

Bags of Flavour is the Northern Quarter’s answer to high end vintage with high quality exclusive garments and accessories.

Altrincham
Shop
IDAHO

Every piece in IDAHO has something special and will guarantee to make your homes, offices and wardrobes feel a little more inspiring.

Manchester
Shop
Want Not Waste

Want Not Waste is a student-run, not-for-profit zero waste shop operating out of Academy 1 at the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

Ancoats
Shop
Ancoats General Store

Ancoats General Store serves the local community as a sustainability-focused convenience store stocking craft products, locally-sourced wares and top tier vegan produce.

Urmston
Shop
Goodness Zero Waste

On a mission to help making a difference more convenient, Urmston’s Goodness Zero Waste is a great spot to shop sustainably for food, beauty and household products.

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Manchester Visitor Guides

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Places To Eat Outside in Manchester

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The Spa at Carden Garden
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UNITOM bookshop
Bookshops in Manchester

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Manchester District Guides

People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
Things to Do in Altrincham

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Tib Street, Manchester

It’s not often that you find a street you could while away a whole day on: from beautifully made coffee in the morning, through to shopping, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner…
Cheetham Hill, Manchester

Cheetham Hill gets a bad rap as an area, however as you begin to look round you will find it has plenty to do. Let us be your guide.
Chorlton, Manchester

Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only 10-odd minutes away by tram). A sprawling hive of artisan coffee shops, boutique clothing stores,…
Castlefield, Manchester

The Roman General Julius Agricola founded ‘Mamucium’ in 79AD; the name means ‘breast shaped hill’, as this was what Agricola discovered in Castlefield, where the original settlement was based.
The front of Didsbury restaurant Volta.
Didsbury, Manchester

Didsbury has the perfect split between big brands and independent businesses, welcoming all from far and wide.
The Oast House pub in Spinningfields Manchester.
Spinningfields, Manchester

Spinningfields is Manchester’s realm of glass and steel, where global corporations have their headquarters. It’s also become a real culinary hotspot: you can find modern tapas at Ibérica, innovative Chinese…
Ego Death
Spotlight on

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Manchester's best secret, hidden and hard to find bars - here's our guide.

Take me there

Destination Guides

Culture Guides

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.

Sextile
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.