Korean supermarket Oseyo is set to open its largest UK store to date right here in the heart of Manchester.
The whopping 13,000 sq ft Asian superstore is taking over the old H&M unit inside the Manchester Arndale.
As well as stocking some of the biggest Korean food brands, the new shop will have a bakery section, Korean ice cups, cosmetics, ceramics, toys, stationeries, and even a photobooth.
Oseyo, which translates as ‘Welcome’, is already a well-known name in Manchester, thanks to its successful Oxford Road store which opened in 2019.
This new location will be the largest Asian supermarket in the north and will be five times the size of its existing location across town.
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Set to open in just a few weeks’ time, Oseyo will be handing out free VIP tote bags to the first 500 customers through the doors on 20 July, filled with popular products from Korea’s biggest brands.
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.
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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.
Inside an existing Oseyo supermarket before it opens in Manchester ArndaleInside an existing Oseyo supermarket before it opens in Manchester Arndale
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).
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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.
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.
CGIs of how Oseyo Manchester Arndale will look
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.
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“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.”
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.
Tiny shipping container Italian opens its own Northern Quarter deli
Daisy Jackson
A tiny Italian cafe that started life in a shipping container has opened its very own cafe and deli in the Northern Quarter.
Marleo, one of the most authentic Italian spots in Manchester, has transformed a unit on Oldham Street into a sunny yellow Sicilian cafe.
Here, you’ll find a counter stuffed with classic Sicilian street food, like perfect cone-shaped arancini, fresh focaccia sandwiches, and pizzette.
Maria and Leo are the couple behind this Northern Quarter newcomer (though you might already know them from Pollard Yard), and they want to create a space that echoes the magic of the Italian island.
You can order a coffee to drink at the counter, the true Italian way, with a cannoli or a cornetto pastry on the side.
There are vibrant salads to take away, along with all those doughy Italian delights to go.
But Marleo Little Sicily also has a small seating area tucked in the back, where a lemon tree climbs up the walls and traditional Testa di Moro peer out from the shelves.
A full spread of Sicilian treats from Marleo in ManchesterFresh focaccia sandwiches at MarleoPistachio and mortadella pizzetteMushroom aranciniMarleo Little Sicily in ManchesterThe full counter at Marleo Little Sicily
Highlights on the counter include Ravazzate, a soft Sicilian bread pun stuffed with homemade, slow-cooked meat and other fillings, like a classic Genovese.
There are also Cipolline, a homemade puff pastry treat packed with fillings like spinach and chilli, or pistachio and mortadella.
Leo has brought a dish from his hometown too – nfigghiulate is a traditional, rustic Italian pastry that’s wrapped around sausage and onion and fennel.
They’ve got a full range of arancini too, stuffed with ham and bechamel sauce, or creamy mushrooms and mozzarella.
Marleo Little Sicily will open its doors at 93 Oldham Street this week.
Stockport pub set to be brought back by local brewery
Danny Jones
A once popular pub in Stockport looks set to be brought back by a big regional brewery, more than two and a half years on from its closure.
The boozer in question is The Golden Hind in Offerton, with the most recent landlords having to bid goodbye to the Lisburne Lane location back in November 2023.
Since then, the sad sight has simply stood derelict on the corner of Marple Road, a main thoroughfare which connects the SK neighbourhood to the neighbouring town of the same name.
However, now it appears as though Manchester-born brewers and pub operators, Joseph Holt, are set to resurrect the local institution as part of a major redevelopment programme estimated to be worth North of £1 million.
CEO Richard Kershaw, along with directors Jane and Andrew Kershaw. (Credit: Joseph Holt Brewery)
Native pub chain and beer-makers ‘Joey Holts’, as they’re sometimes colloquially known, announced their purchase of the building last week.
With Jane and Andrew representing the sixth generation of the Holts to work for the well-established Manc publicans, the family-run business knows all about the importance of maintaining the important community aspect of suburban cornerstones like this.
Over 176 years old themselves, Joseph Holt has plenty of experience reviving venues like this – it was only back in October that they helped reboot the Horse and Jockey in Chorlton – and have stated their intention of helping fight the growing trend of pubs, bars and restaurants closing across the country.
The Golden Hind (which was formerly a Hungry Horse pub before its Greene King era) ceased trading after being open for well over half a century, and was heavily mourned at the time.
With regulars and Offertonians at large campaigning at the time to try and save the site, this will no doubt come as great news and some much-needed relief to many in and around the area, who spent some of their most important time socialising and building connections in their much-loved local hub.
We are yet to be given a clear timeline for the comeback, but you can already tell how motivated the new owners are to make this a success, not just for themselves, but for those who live nearby.
Aforementioned CEO, Richard Kershaw, said in a statement: “Joseph Holt is a brewery committed to putting pubs back into the heart of local communities. It is at the core of our ethos.
“Since we know they play such an important role not just as places to enjoy a drink, but as welcoming spaces to meet others, take part in social groups, and enjoy live events. All of which will be happening once again once we complete our redevelopment of The Golden Hind.
“That’s why we are investing over £1 million in a comprehensive and carefully considered redevelopment, creating a pub in the truest traditional sense — complete with open fireplaces, generous outdoor spaces, and comfortable, characterful furnishings.”
The Joey Holt boss went on to add: “We are a family business, and we really understand how people feel a deep social connection with their local pub. We hope our revival of the Golden Hind will once again make it a local magnet.
“This investment will also bring real benefits to the area – creating jobs and new opportunities, while giving the wider community a meaningful boost. We’re looking forward to getting started on this exciting new chapter for both the pub and the area.”
With another long-standing Stopfordian pub, which was also previously run by the same ownership group, having confirmed its closure late last month, could Joseph Holt be about to do something similar with another well-known watering hole?…
Daisy Jackson -
3rd July 2024 
