5 Weird and Wonderful Places to Shop in Manchester

Experience the gritty side of the city and shop alternative in Manchester. You may be swapping the High Street for the side streets, but when it comes to Manchester, that is no bad thing.  

The city has a history of eccentric shopping after all, as during the Victorian era the Northern Quarter began to boom as place of leisure and trade – with a number of pet shops emerging in particular around Tib Street. There was reportedly even a travelling seller of canaries.  

Although the pet shops are now gone, there are still some gems for strange shopping to be found in the Northern Quarter – as well as further afield.  Here you can find the likes of alternative clothing, unique gifts and plenty of Gothic garb:  

Kiku Boutique

100 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LR 

Hand-fashioned, beautiful and bespoke corsetry and clothing for women available at the heart of the Northern Quarter It is rare to get a truly handcrafted clothing experience in Manchester, and this is one of them. Kiku Boutique is based at 100 Tib Street and boasts the services of skilled designers, a milliner and a corsetiere – making it the place for truly special dresses, corsets and head-gear. If you want a personalised piece of clothing or are just tired of the same old designs circulating the High Street, then Kiku Boutique is the place to go. For a gothic twist, there are plenty of dark designs and silks. A measuring and consultation service is also available.

Rockers 

89 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LW 

Based at 89 Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter and established in 2003, this is a self-confessed ‘Emporium Of Rock'n'Roll Delight’. Here you can get your hands on various vintage and rock’n’roll inspired clothing and accessories. Plenty of tees and jeans, dresses and skirts, as well as accessories too. They are also purveyors of quality punk goods, and if you are on the lookout for a unique gift you are sure to do well here, as Rockers stocks items you will struggle to get anywhere else in England. You won’t go hungry either, as they’ve recently started stocking vegan cakes and bakes from the locally-based Teatime Collective.  

Oklahoma

74-76 High St, Manchester M4 1ES 

Established in Manchester since 1997, this is a weird and wonderful gift shop spread across 2000 sq ft of space. Here you will find curiosities and keepsakes from across the world, with more than 750 unique items – from kitsch designs to gothic gifts.  It certainly is a place to unleash your eccentric side; with homeware, jewellery, cards, wrap, stationery and so much more in stock. You’ll find nowhere quite like it.  

Photography by Zarina Akhtar  

Paramount Books 

25-27 Shudehill, Manchester, M4 2AF 

This is not just a family-run bookshop (since 1965), but a treasure trove of collectibles and comics, covering 25-27 Shudehill. It is crammed to the rafters with second-hand books, annuals and magazines; and there’s even classical and jazz music playing over an old speaker system as you go in. It’s like going back in time, with bustling bookshelves as you enter and a back room filled with collectible magazines including the likes of National Geographic and Marvel. The exterior is a blast from the past too, its authentic shopfront and signage left untouched for many years. 

Image credit: Per Gosche on Flickr

FROG 

51 Turner St, Manchester M4 1DN 

Tucked away on Turner Street in the Northern Quarter, this is a florist with a difference – presenting floral art; from the colourful and creative to the dark and daring. Set up by David Jayet-Laraffe the French-born artist, and operating as Frog since 2007, here you can expect a bespoke and personal service. Whether you want a simple flower arrangement or a big bouquet, this is the place to visit. A ‘Flower School’ also operates at Frog, providing workshops people can book in for including flower crown workshops, vase arrangement and bouquet-tying.  

Photography by Zarina Akhtar

By Emily Oldfield