We’ve spent a lot more time at home in 2020. So, it’s perhaps no surprise that national interest in quality property decor has skyrocketed.
Almost everyone has done a little bit of DIY and experimented with new styles this year – keeping themselves busy during lockdown(s) and ensuring their home remains a nice environment in which to work, rest and play.
Interior businesses have been booming as a result – and one particularly exciting success story is happening just down the road.
Despite only being one year old, Cheshire-based Wild One Interiors has quickly established itself as the creme-de-la-creme of homeware brands – recording huge sales month on month.
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Demand for home decor is high right now – but Wild One has flourished because it sells the kind of bright, bold and daring items you simply don’t see anywhere else; from animal furniture to wildlife-themed kitchen utensils.
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The brand started life as an Instagram page, earning so much acclaim that it morphed into one of the busiest homeware businesses in northern England almost overnight.
Founders told us: “Wild One was set up after having lots of traction on our home account on Instagram and we wanted to be able to share our style with people in a tangible way other than through photos.
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“We started off with a small amount of stock working from a garage which has recently seen us take on a warehouse with staff to help us process our orders.
“We LOVE sourcing products and keeping an eye on trends but not following them – making sure we have fresh stock all the time and styling them in our home to give people ideas of how our products will work.”
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They added: “We love inspiring other people to be braver in their interiors and encourage that if you love something – go for it. Don’t hold back or worry about what Auntie Sally will think of your black ceiling when she calls round.
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“Your home is your safe place, even more so this year and it should reflect you and your family.
“We have a two and three-year-old and people often say: ‘we can’t have nice things with kids around’.
“There’s always a way around it – put your breakables higher up, keep that last tin of paint with a dribble left in the bottom to touch up the walls where they wiped jam sandwiches!”
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There are some truly wild and wonderful products on offer from the brand at the moment – and you can take advantage of big discounts on these items by entering the code ‘MANCBLACKFRIDAY’ at the checkout.
Even if you’re not sprucing up your own pad, these items could make for some cracking Christmas gifts…
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Shop the range by visiting the Wild One website now.
Manchester Storm announce partnership with USAsports including NHL pop-ups and more
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have announced a landmark new deal with USAsports, a dedicated home for British fans of North American sporting disciplines and global merchandising suppliers, which will see various exciting events this upcoming season.
Confirming the collaboration ahead of the pending 2026/27 campaign, this crossover will involve everything from special pop-up events to player sponsorships and much more.
USAsports specialise in officially licensed NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB clothing, and while you may have seen the odd jersey here and there at various Greater Manchester locations, they are now gearing up to work with Manchester Storm to deliver better exposure.
Whether you’re just a die-hard member of the Storm Shelter or an ex-pat who still follows an NHL franchise overseas, kit collecting and the fascination surrounding limited edition team jumpers is a big part of ice hockey fandom and culture not just here in the UK but around the world.
Sharing their own announcement, they wrote: “Manchester Storm are thrilled to announce a new partnership with USAsports for the 2026/27 Motorpoint Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) season as the club embarks on an exciting new chapter at the AO Arena.
“As part of the partnership, USAsports will sponsor a Manchester Storm player throughout the season and deliver multiple NHL Pop-Up Shop events at Storm home games during the forthcoming campaign.”
On the subject of sponsorship, commercial entities are the only people who will be given the opportunity to back big players this term, as Storm are once again bringing back their ‘own-and-loan’ scheme.
Speaking on working closely with their new partners, the club’s General Manager, Ryan Finnerty, added: “We’re delighted to have USAsports on board for the 2026/27 season.
“Their passion for the fan experience really stood out to us, and their NHL Pop-Up Shops throughout the season will be a fantastic addition to game days at the AO Arena.
“We’re looking forward to working together throughout what promises to be a very exciting season.”
As casual fans here at The Manc, we’ll admit that watching the growing buzz around the resurgent ice hockey team, especially ahead of their Manchester city centre ‘homecoming’, has got us amped to dive deeper into the sport when it gets back underway next month. We’re not the only ones, either…
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
The Manc -
26th November 2020 
