One of the world’s coolest retailers has finally landed in Manchester, with the opening of our very first Flying Tiger.
The Danish variety store sells everything from kitchenware to stationery to toys to fancy dress to spices – and prices are unbelievably affordable.
We’re talking greetings cards from 50p, classic board games from £4, and genuinely beautiful plant pots for a fiver.
You can get a kids’ xylophone for £5 if you like them, or embarrass them by dressing them up as a bright orange pumpkin for Halloween for £8.
For crafty types, there’s a hot glue gun for £7, as well as balls of yarn, bags of googly eyes, and a paint-by-numbers kit (stocking filler sorted).
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There’s even a mini handheld sewing machine for just £6.
Outside Flying Tiger in the Arndale. Credit: The Manc GroupFancy dress galore. Credit: The Manc Group
As if that’s not all cheap enough, there’s an actual clearance section, where prices are slashed and candle holders and picture frames are sold for as little as a quid.
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It’s an absolute dream for stocking up on gifts and trinkets without breaking the bank (which, given that cost-of-living nightmare, is perfect timing).
Shoppers are taken on an IKEA-like journey, with a clear one-way system zigzagging past row upon row of treats.
Click or swipe through the gallery below to see more from Flying Tiger
Halloween items at Flying TigerKids’ toysA handheld sewing machineA wall of slippersKitchen gadgets More kitchen itemsA wall of spices
Need some giant marshmallows? They’ve got it. Novelty unicorn slippers? Yep, and there are dragon ones too. Desperate for some reading glasses? You can get them at Flying Tiger for £6.
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Mancs have been crying out for Flying Tiger to open a shop here for years – our mates in Sheffield and Leeds already have stores, with loads more dotted around the country (and 27 in London, naturally).
Disgrunted tweets have included this one: “WHY ISN’T THERE A FLYING TIGER STORE IN MANCHESTER it is the bane of my bloody life.”
And this one: “Manchester doesn’t have a flying tiger shop ??? Where the f*ck do you all buy nice bits for a bargain value ??? I’m cancelling the north and returning to the south immediately.”
Then once the news of its arrival was announced back in March, excited outbursts included: “a flying tiger is opening in manchester arndale gonna pee my pants.”
And this: “this is the best thing ever, i was so sad about not having a flying tiger in manchester. literally the best shop ever.”
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But anyway, it’s here now, and taking up a unit on the Arndale’s lower mall near the new Paperchase.
Its opening coincides with news that the old Topshop unit will finally be back in use, with Clarks and Gilly Hicks both moving in.
Happy shopping!
Featured image: The Manc Group
Shopping
Popular night-time indie shopping market returns to Manchester tomorrow
Emily Sergeant
A unique indie shopping market is returning to Manchester, and you’ll be able to shop from 50 local small businesses all under one roof.
In case you hadn’t heard, the hugely-popular Night Market UK is back by popular demand, and it will be stopping off in our city centre for one night only tomorrow as part of the current leg of its tour across the country.
Returning to Manchester, but this time at a new location down at Fairfield Social Club in the Green Quarter, the unique night-time shopping experience will be showcasing more than 50 local small businesses – with everything from bespoke fashion items and beautifully-crafted homeware, to candles, artwork, silverware, and more on offer.
Brutal Fashion, Lost in Music, Urban Botany, and Dapper Alice are just a handful of the indie traders you’ll be able to shop from.
With event organisers promising there’ll be “a stall for everyone” to browse on the night, some of the other traders in attendance, include artisan producers, artists and bakers, as well as Fairfield Social Club’s resident street food purveyors Isit Kitchen, and pizza pros Killa Carbs.
DJ Clara B will also be taking over the club’s sound system too, and will be blasting tunes to set the scene all night long.
From bespoke fashion items and silverware courtesy of Brutal Fashion, to dazzling musical art prints from Lost in Music, and sculptural candles from Urban Botany to beautifully crafted homeware by Dapper Alice, there will be a stall for everyone on the night.
A popular night-time indie shopping market is returning to Manchester tomorrow / Credit: The Night Market UK | Kunal Mahesh Tewari (via The Night Market UK on Facebook)
The Night Market UK will open at Fairfield Social Club from 6pm tomorrow (Friday 26 July), and will run right through until 11pm.
Tickets are now on sale from just £4 each, and can be purchased in hourly entry timeslots – which organisers say “keeps the atmosphere just right” and ensures there’s enough space for everyone to be able to stay as little or as long as they’d like.
You can buy on the door or grab your tickets in advance here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Shopping
Stockport’s popular pre-worn school uniform shop is reopening for the summer
Emily Sergeant
A popular pre-worn school uniform shop is reopening in Stockport for the summer, and you can grab items for less than £1.
As the rising cost of living crisis sadly still continues to make its impact felt nationwide, Stockport‘s popular pre-worn uniform shop will throw open its doors following huge success last year and an “overwhelming demand from cash-strapped families“.
It’s popping up inside the town’s Merseyway Shopping Centre for the summer holidays to provide locals with massive savings on next year’s school clothes.
Shoppers can get their hands on pre-worn uniform pieces from as little as 50p each.
Stockport’s popular pre-worn school uniform shop is reopening for the summer / Credit: Matthew Nichol Photography (via supplied)
The shopping centre says The Pop-Up Uniform Shop is all about providing Stopfordians with “good quality, secondhand school uniform” – with items from schools all across the Stockport borough set to be available when it opens next month.
The pop-up shop will be selling uniform items from all schools across the Stockport borough when it opens next month.
Expected to be a widely-popular addition the Greater Manchester town once again once it returns from 10-17 August, all funds raised from the shop will be going back into the community – with donations set to be made to local food bank, Chelwood Food Bank Plus, as well as one of the UK’s leading arts and mental health organisations, Arc Centre Stockport.
Families will be able to grab items from as little as 50p / Credit: Merseyway (via Facebook)
Ahead of the shop’s opening next month, donations are currently being accepted
Uniform donations can be branded or unbranded but must be “clean and wearable”, and some of the items being accepted include sweatshirts, cardigans, blazers, skirts, pinafores, trousers, shorts, polo shirts, shirts, shoes, plimsolls, PE kits, and school bags.
Donations will be accepted until Monday 5 August, and can be dropped off at the dedicated collection bin in the undercover mall outside Specsavers.
“Many families in our community face financial challenges, making it difficult to provide their children with necessary school uniform items,” explained Victoria Nichol, who is the Centre Manager at Merseyway Shopping Centre, ahead of the shop’s opening.
“The Pop-Up Uniform Shop aims to alleviate this burden by offering affordable uniform options for those in need while offering a sustainable alternative to buying new.”