An enormous Korean supermarket, Oseyo, is ready to open the doors to shoppers in the Manchester Arndale tomorrow.
The 13,000 sq ft Asian superstore is Oseyo’s largest in the UK to date, taking over the old H&M site inside the city centre.
For its official launch tomorrow (Saturday 20 July), they’ll be giving away 500 free VIP tote bags to the first customers through the doors from 11am.
Each tote bag will be stuffed with the biggest, most popular and most viral products from across Korea.
The Manc has snuck in today for an early look at the new Oseyo Manchester store, and the huge space has been decorated beautifully with bright lights and curved natural wooden ceilings.
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As well as stocking some of the biggest Korean food brands, the new shop has a bakery section, Korean ice cups, cosmetics, ceramics, toys, stationery, and even a photobooth with two different themed rooms.
Oseyo, which translates as ‘Welcome’, is already a well-known name in Manchester, thanks to its successful Oxford Road store which opened in 2019.
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This new location is the largest Asian supermarket in the north, and five times the size of its existing location across town.
Oseyo Manchester has aisles packed with Korean food and drink. Credit: The Manc GroupOseyo stocks viral products like Pokemon soft drinks Credit: The Manc Group
Inside the massive new superstore, shoppers will find brands of noodles, dumplings, dried seaweed and veg, snacks, powder and mixes, sauces and spices, tea, rice and grains, plus drinks including Rice Wine and Soju in original and flavoured variations and non-alcoholic beverages.
You’ll be able to shop popular Korean brands like Bibigo Mandu Dumplings, Samyang Spicy Noodles, Melona Ice Pops (honeydew/ coconut & mango ice creams), KSD Rice Wine, Hitejinro Soju, Lotte Milkis, and Jongga Kimchi.
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There’ll also be a chilled and frozen section with exotic vegetables, Korean-style BBQ cuts, and prepared side dishes.
In the Korean bakery you’ll be able to buy everything from fresh Pandan Cake to viral mango pancakes, as well as Red Bean Buns (Dahn Paht Jjinppang), and Baked Custard Bread (Cream Pan).
Kewpie mayo in Oseyo Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupThe photobooth at Oseyo. Credit: The Manc GroupPopular ice cups, where you buy the cup of ice then add your own soda, at Oseyo. Credit: The Manc Group
Another viral product available at the new Oseyo Manchester store will be Korean ice cups, where you purchase a cup of ice from the freezer then add in whatever flavoured drink you fancy.
Beyond the food, you’ll be able to pick up Cuckoo electric rice cookers, Korean cosmetics and facemasks, and Korean ceramics, including rice bowls, dipping bowls and dishes.
ARTBOX, famed Korean toy and stationery supplier, will also be stocked in one of the UK’s largest selections packed with everything from character goods, such as Sanrio and BT21, to homeware and kitchenware like blankets, chopsticks and mugs, plus K-pop themed socks.
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The superstore will have ‘Oseyo Snaps’, a Korean photobooth with viral customisable, editable and printable takeaway pictures available across two themes – Gangnam Nightclub and Hongdae Café.
Isaac Kweon from Oseyo said: “We’ve received lots of love and support with our existing store in Manchester. The Oseyo team is pulling out all the stops for this megastore in the Arndale, it will definitely be a must-visit destination for all Mancunians.
Oseyo in Manchester Arndale is the brand’s biggest UK store to date. Credit: The Manc GroupOseyo in Manchester Arndale opens tomorrow. Credit: The Manc Group
“Korean foods are in high demand, particularly with the rise of Asian cooking driven through the TikTok generation. In Manchester, there is certainly a demand for an Asian supermarket of this size. The variety of products within our Arndale store is unmatched.
“We anticipate trending foods including Korean ice cup drinks, mango pancakes, and famed, Samyang Carbonara Noodles, will pull in customers from across the North and beyond.”
David Allinson, Centre Director at Manchester Arndale, said: “We are really excited to welcome Oseyo to Manchester Arndale as we know it will be a major hit with our shoppers. We place great importance on creating an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants to cater for Manchester’s diverse tastes, so Oseyo is a great addition to our lineup.”
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Doors open at 11am on Saturday 20 July, with Oseyo management encouraging Mancunians to get down before 9am with customer queues expected out the doors for the store’s grand opening.
Northern Quarter institution announces store closure after almost 20 years
Daisy Jackson
Thunder Egg, a Northern Quarter institution, has announced its sad closure after almost two decades in the neighbourhood.
The boutique gift shop and fashion retailer is known for its colourful, kitsch and quirky products, whether you’re after some bold knitwear or some statement costume jewellery.
Brands stocked here include loads of different British brands, like Daisy Street clothing, Ohh Deer art prints, and Little Moose jewellery.
As the Northern Quarter has changed rapidly on all sides, Thunder Egg has been a constant ever since its launch onto Oldham Street in 2018.
When it opened, its neighbours included Dry Bar, Magma, and a lot of adult-only sex shops – all of which have now closed for good.
And now Thunder Egg will also be bidding farewell to its flagship store in the Northern Quarter (though you’ll still be able to shop their collections inside Afflecks and online).
In a statement shared online, Thunder Egg said that the ‘considerable rise in interest’ from large retail names moving into the Northern Quarter would drive rents so high that the increase would be ‘too big to swallow’.
Thunder Egg will be closing its Northern Quarter flagship store
They also cited ‘rocketing’ business rates, plus ‘relentless’ theft, and increasing online competition from cheap retailers.
Thunder Egg said that with their lease coming to an end this year, the time is right to depart.
They wrote: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank every single person, from customers to past & present staff, for making the last 2 decades in this location so magical!
“We are devastated to be leaving this space, but you can read more about why we’ve made the decision to on the 2nd image. We have nothing but fond memories here.”
Explaining the closure of their flagship store, they added: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing that our current flagship branch of Thunder Egg on Oldham Street will be closing after 20 years.
“Our current lease was coming to an end this year and surviving as a small independent business in the UK is HARD right now.
You can still shop Thunder Egg in Afflecks
“There has been a considerable rise in interest from large national & international retail names for shop spaces in the Northern Quarter in recent years. The proposed rent increase that would come with renewing our lease here was just too big to swallow this time.
“Business rates are rocketing, theft is relentless, competition from cheap online retailers is growing… all of the above combined together to push us into our decision to depart.”
Thunder Egg is set to remain open for at least the next couple of months, with no official closing date announced just yet – so get down to Oldham Street and show them some love.
Lovely last-minute Mother’s Day ideas from Selfridges in Manchester
The Manc
Mother’s Day is this Sunday – and if those words have just sent you into a blind panic, just take a breath and head straight across to Selfridges.
The huge department store has come up with all sorts of things that make for perfect last-minute gifts and experiences.
That includes a carefully curated selection of gifts available in-store, plus a very special Morning With Mum beauty workshop so you can spend some quality time together on Mother’s Day.
Selfridges can be your one-stop shop for the big day.
In both Exchange Square and Trafford Centre stores, you can pick up lovely gifts like feast-filled hampers, fabulous accessories, luxury chocolates, candles, and even cards.
As always, there are gifts you can have personalised in-store for a sentimental present for the mother figure in your life.
If you’re really stuck, you can pop along to the Beauty Concierge and book her an experience.
And over in Selfridges Exchange Square, you can pick up a beautiful fresh bouquet from The Royal Exchange Florists.
Selfridges has loads of last-minute Mother’s Day ideas
There’s rarely a gift more precious than quality time together, which is why Selfridges will be hosting a special Mother’s Day floor-wide beauty event on Saturday 14 March.
Ticket-holders will receive expert beauty advice from your favourite brands, while enjoying complimentary drinks and sweet treats.
There’ll also be plus exclusive gifts with purchase available, and giveaways on the day, and you can redeem the £20 ticket price against products purchased on the day.
You can even grab an artist print for mum at the vending machine.
Tickets for the Morning With Mum beauty workshop are on sale HERE.
You could also share a moment over a glass of champagne at San Carlo in both locations, or grab a sweet treat from the bakery in the Trafford Centre store.
Daisy Jackson -
19th July 2024 
