High-end men’s fashion retailer END. Clothing has just opened a new store in Manchester, taking over the old Paperchase site with two stories of luxury streetwear, high end sneakers and sought-after labels from Japan.
The stationery retailer closed its doors here in 2020 after the company collapsed into administration, leaving its old home vacant. Now END. has moved in, and following extensive refurbishments, it opened to the public this weekend.
Gone is the old mezzanine and the reams of wrapping paper. In its place, the store now boasts triple-height ceilings and a monolithic pallete of premium marble, concrete, stainless steel, glass, mirror and maple.
Image: END Clothing
Image: END Clothing
Inside, shoppers canl find a range of high-end menswear brands including Carhartt, Moncler, Rick Owens, Gucci, Off-White and Balenciaga, with selections spread across two floors.
With a large footwear section offering everything from high end sneakers and casual boots to sliders and sandals to high-end accessories, clothing and lifestyle items, this is the place to get your winter fits.
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The ground floor houses END.’s contemporary menswear brands alongside a selection of sought-after Japanese labels. It will also feature an extensive lifestyle section alongside a ‘wellbeing space’ filled with premium skincare, fragrance and cosmetic products.
Upstairs, the first floor will house END.’s largest sneaker offering to date alongside a wide array of luxury, streetwear and skate labels, and a dedicated ‘launch zone’ events space.
The new opening is the first site in the north west for the brand, which already has two stores in Newcastle, one in Glasgow and another in London.
“Manchester has been high on our list for a long time.” Commented Parker Gundersen, CEO for END.
“We have a very strong community here already who have been asking us to build a physical store for many years.
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Image: END
Image: END
“When we finally found this building, we knew we had an amazing space that would allow us to create a concept that would match the high expectations of both our customers and brand partners.
“To finally see the finished product has been really thrilling for our team and I’m so proud of what they have achieved.”
In addition to the Manchester opening, END. will open its’ first dedicated Women’s concept in Newcastle later this month, followed by a ground-breaking new flagship in the heart of Milan at the end of the year.
Feature image – END. Clothing
News
Simon Wood announces gutting closure of Manchester restaurant after seven years
Danny Jones
Celebrity chef and Manchester local Simon Wood has announced that his self-titled WOOD Restaurant has sadly closed its doors.
The Oldham-born chef-owner who won MasterChef back in 2015, revealed the unfortunate news on Wednesday, 2 October, confirming that the First Street site will be closing immediately. Truly gutting.
Wood has remained one of Greater Manchester’s most-renowned chefs for the past decade, not to mention a huge advocate for supporting the hospitality industry, especially post-Covid and during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Sharing an emotional post on Instagram, he wrote: “It is with much regret that I have to inform you that I must close the doors here at WOOD for good, with immediate effect.”
“We have had 7 years as part of the Manchester city dining scene and I’m very proud of what the team and I have achieved”, the 48-year-old continued.
“Sadly with COVID rent arrears now being demanded by our landlord and an increasingly difficult marketplace, energy increases, ingredient costs and soon-to-be spiralling business rates we just cannot make this work.”
“I’d like to thank everyone for your support and patronage over the years. Thank you, Simon.”
It was only at the start of the week that Wood shared a frustrated post about a group of no-show customers over the weekend that failed to even pre-warn that they would no longer be attending one of his most exclusive and costly experiences.
We’re starting to lose count of how many local businesses are unfortunately struggling in the face of the rising business rates and energy bills that all independents are facing at the minute.
It was only last month that we saw Almous Famous had to call it a day with their Withington location and beloved sandwich spot Micky’s sadly suffer the same fate. Even cult favourite Cafe Marhaba looks to have gone up for sale. So tough to swallow.
We’re genuinely gutted for everyone involved with the brand. All the best, Si – we know you’ll be back stronger than ever one of these days.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
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No trams to run through major Manchester city centre station this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Arguably Manchester city centre’s most important tram stop is set to be out of action this weekend, with no services running through it.
In what is another part of Transport for Greater Manchester‘s (TfGM) ongoing programme of works intended to “maintain and improve” the Metrolink system and ensure tram journeys in Greater Manchester remain “safe, reliable, and accessible”, it’s been confirmed that no trams will run through Cornbrook this weekend.
Due to this, there will be a change to operating patterns across the majority of the Metrolink network on both Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October.
As is often the case in instances like these, disruption to passengers is expected.
On Saturday and Sunday [5 and 6 October], no trams will operate through Cornbrook.
There will be a change to operating patterns and replacement bus services will be in operation.
On Saturday (5 October), the tram service pattern will change to Altrincham – Old Trafford, Bury – Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury – Firswood, Etihad Campus – Bury (peak time only) / Victoria (after peak only), Manchester Airport – Firswood, Rochdale Town Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield (via Exchange Square), and The Trafford Centre – Wharfside.
Similarly, on Sunday (6 October), the only difference to the above service pattern is that the Etihad Campus tram will only run to Victoria, not Bury.
Services will operate every 12 minutes, except for on the Eccles line, where no trams will run at all.
TfGM is also warning that there may be changes to the first and last tram times during these works, but, in bid to help people still get to their destinations, three bus replacement services will operate from Firswood to Victoria, Old Trafford to Piccadilly, and Eccles to Piccadilly.
No trams will run through major Manchester city centre station Cornbrook this weekend / Credit: TfGM
The Old Trafford to Piccadilly bus service will run through Wharfside, while the Eccles to Piccadilly will travel via MediaCity.
“These works are a vitally important part of maintaining a safe and reliable network for all our customers,” explained
Ian Davies, who is TfGM’s Interim Network Director for Metrolink, said these works are “a vitally important part” of maintaining the Metrolink, and that work has been scheduled by TfGM to “minimise disruption to passengers and residents as much as possible”.
Georgina Pellant -
11th September 2022 
