The Manchester Shop

If you’re looking for a cooler, classier level of souvenir than a keyring with Manchester printed underneath a big red London bus, head to The Manchester Shop. This home-grown success story next to the main entrance to Afflecks on Oldham Street sells Manchester accessories and gifts that will appeal to Mancunians as well as visitors from further afield. 

There’s a stylish range of artworks celebrating Manchester’s musical heritage with the unholy trinity of The Stone Roses, the Hacienda, and Oasis all represented (this is Afflecks after all). Less expected are the pigeon Christmas decorations, the Clockwork Orange iron-on patches, the custard cream-shaped trinket boxes, and the ‘chufty badges’. This isn’t Manchester by numbers; it’s almost as if the owners and designers actually live here and know the city well.

This being a Manchester tourist shop, there is a proliferation of bees. On the mugs, the magnets, the t-shirts, the coasters. But these really are Manchester bees, having been designed and produced in-house.

The Manchester Shop supports various local charities by selling branded mug sets for The Pankhurst Trust, the LGBT Foundation, Sow the City, and homeless charity Coffee4Craig. Well done, guys. Or in proper Mancunian, ‘What do yer want, a chufty badge?’ (That will be £4.99 please.)