Shopping

Manchester’s new vintage shop where designer labels cost less than £20

Burberry, Armani, Patagonia, Levi's, and loads more.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 1st September 2023

A new vintage and pre-loved clothing store has opened in Manchester city centre, selling some seriously big labels for £20 or less.

Catch My Thrift isn’t all about the designer goods either, with plenty of high-street names like ASOS and Levi’s being sold alongside Burberry, Nike and Armani.

But if the item falls under the ‘fast fashion’ umbrella, founder Scott Joseph will donate the money from the sale to the Forever Manchester charity.

The shop has opened at Great Northern Warehouse on Deansgate (down towards Beetham Tower), with rails upon rails of flannel shirts, band tees, denim, sportswear and sweatshirts.

Catch My Thrift is promising to take the ‘musty’ out of vintage clothes, with gender-neutral items sold washed, ironed, and ready to wear.

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For less than £20, you could be shopping for a classic Burberry shirt, a Kenzo sweatshirt, or a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans.

Scott, whose background is in luxury, high-end fashion, including Armani and Harvey Nichols, started buying vintage clothes for himself, selling on anything that wasn’t the right fit.

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A Patagonia flannel shirt for only £16 at Catch My Thrift vintage shop in Manchester
A Patagonia flannel shirt for only £16 at Catch My Thrift vintage shop in Manchester. Credit; The Manc Group
A wall of brightly-coloured vintage shirts at Catch My Thrift, Manchester. Credit; The Manc Group
A wall of brightly-coloured vintage shirts at Catch My Thrift, Manchester. Credit; The Manc Group
A beer shirt at Catch My Thrift.
A beer shirt at Catch My Thrift. Credit: The Manc Group

It didn’t take long for him to realise there was huge demand for ‘quality thrift’ – and the business has flourished.

With Catch My Thrift, he’s hoping to make this sustainable alternative to fast fashion more accessible to a wider audience.

The stock is replenished weekly with new garments on display at every visit.

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You’ll find a wall of band t-shirts, featuring the likes of Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Def Leopard (as well as Doja Cat and Ariana Grande), in addition to cotton, denim and flannel shirts, jeans, corduroys, casual bottoms and sweatshirts. 

Catch My Thrift vintage store in Manchester.
Catch My Thrift vintage store in Manchester.
Catch My Thrift vintage store in Manchester. Credit; The Manc Group

Scott’s chosen to price everything by category, rather than label, so designer brands rub shoulders with high street labels in the same price brackets.

Scott says: “Vintage and pre-loved clothing has a story to tell, and it’s a shame that they often end up in landfill. I wanted to create a platform that makes vintage wear more accessible to people, gives them the opportunity to express their own unique style without fear of imitation and at the same time, help the environment by reducing waste.”

He plans to host classes on up-cycling and capsule wardrobe planning in the space, plus a series of talks and roundtables.

Mark Schofield, centre director of Great Northern Warehouse, said: “Catch My Thrift is a great addition to our thriving community of independent businesses at Great Northern Warehouse.

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“The pop-up store highlights the step-change in consumer purchasing behaviours, with Deansgate Terrace, now increasingly recognised as a hub for independent businesses offering a range of services including vintage clothing, coffees to go, and even tattoos, in addition to great restaurants and estate agents.

“We’re committed to supporting local businesses in the early stages and look forward to seeing Catch My Thrift grow and thrive on Deansgate.”

To celebrate its new home on Deansgate, Catch My Thrift will be hosting a weekend of partying across Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September from 1pm each day, with complimentary refreshments.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Shopping

Major retailer Monki to close store in Manchester Arndale

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Monki, a popular fashion brand that’s owned by H&M, had announced it’s closing its Manchester store – and soon.

The high street brand is famed for selling bold, playful clothing at affordable prices.

It opened its glittering disco-inspired shop in the heart of the Manchester Arndale in 2018.

Shoppers will recognise the holographic arches at the entrance and the Monki brand name spelled out in lightbulbs overhead.

But this week, H&M confirmed that all seven Monki stores across the UK will close, either shutting them completely or merging them with Weekday, another of the retail giant’s brands.

Manchester is among the first casualties of this move, with signs in the window of the store confirming that a closing down sale will be live until 12 January.

At that point, the Manchester Monki store will close for good.

Also shutting will be Newcastle, with the fate of the five remaining shops – including one in Sheffield – not yet confirmed.

The statement from H&M read: “A limited number of Monki stores are intended to be transformed into multi-brand Weekday destinations, while the others are intended to be closed.

“The newly formed Weekday multi-brand destination will cater to customers’ high aesthetic standards while embracing their multitude of unique expressions.”

In a statement shared earlier this month, they added: “Being mindful about the changes this might entail for our colleagues; we look forward to this exciting new chapter on the way to something great.”

Monki will close in Manchester Arndale on 12 January.

Read more: The best picky bits and Christmas party food in M&S this year

Featured image: The Manc Group

Shopping

The best picky bits and Christmas party food in M&S this year

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The best party food at M&S for Christmas 2024

Can some scientist please explain why us Brits have such a compulsion to roll out the picky bits and party food (ESPECIALLY if it comes from M&S) as soon as there’s a vague sense of occasion?

Birthday party? Picky bits. BBQ season? Picky bits. Had a long day at work and can’t decide what to have for tea but definitely don’t want a Pot Noodle? Picky bits.

And when Christmas or New Year’s Eve rolls around, the urge to consume random little morsels of food intensifies.

Whether it’s British classics squashed down into tiny portions and jammed on a buffet table or fancy little appetisers you hand around a party, we just can’t get enough.

Which is why we’ve raided the shelves at M&S once again to bring you all the best picky bits and party food available for Christmas 2024.

As for prices, the more premium M&S Collection party food items are generally priced at £7.50, with the more standard range coming in at £5.50 each, and all available on a four-for-three offer.

And yes, you might end up spending an obscene amount of money on miniature food items that won’t do a single thing to quell an appetite, but my gosh, won’t you feel like a prim and proper princess when you slide those teeny weeny fish and chips in front of your guests.

Let’s begin.

Brits abroad

M&S party food 2024 - chicken shawarma and Middle Eastern flatbreads
M&S party food 2024 – chicken shawarma and Middle Eastern flatbreads
M&S party food 2024 - patatas bravas stacks
M&S party food 2024 – patatas bravas stacks

M&S might be the most staunchly British institution of modern times, but us Brits also love nothing more than to lift the culinary expertise of other countries onto our own plates.

And this year is no exception – M&S has whipped up a whole host of party food inspired by international favourites.

From little potato stacks that pay homage to everyone’s favourite tapas dish, patatas bravas, to tiny chicken shawarma kebabs to Middle Eastern Flatbreads, if you want a little spice on your Christmas buffet, they’ve got it.

Well aren’t you a fancy pants?!

M&S Christmas party food 2024

‘Ooooh, someone’s doing well’ comes the chorus of praise as you hand around your mini prawn thermidor (these tiny gold trays even have a cheddar cheese crumb on top).

‘Wow, that must’ve been a good Christmas bonus’ they say as they accept a mini coquille St Jacques, complete with extra-small shell.

If upper middle class was a nibble, it would probably look like these guys.

Little Britain

Mini scampi and chips, and miniature pies at M&S
Mini scampi and chips, and miniature pies at M&S
Mini Yorkshire puddings and cheese and ham scones from M&S party food range
Mini Yorkshire puddings and cheese and ham scones from M&S party food range

Imagine all your classic British dishes, pub food, Sunday dinners, comfort meals cooked by your mum – you picturing them? Okay, now imagine them again but really, really small.

Now you’ve got a good idea of the items in our next M&S party food category.

There are mini Yorkshire puddings filled with slow-cooked beef, red wine and mushroom jus, and a garlic and herb crumb.

There are neat little cheddar and ham scones, miniature pies filled with beef and ale or chicken and leek, and even picky bit-sized scampi and chips portions, complete with newspaper wrapping. Cute!

The classics

M&S prawn selection
M&S prawn selection
M&S pigs in blankets and halloumi in blankets
M&S pigs in blankets and halloumi in blankets
M&S Smoked salmon appetisers
M&S Smoked salmon appetisers

These are not just buffet food items, these are M&S buffet food items, and that means they come with a bit of pizzazz.

Yes, there are pigs in blankets, but there are also halloumi pigs in blankets (which they weirdly haven’t made vegetarian) served with a hot honey drizzle.

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We love a battered prawn on a party food selection and M&S has done a selection of tiger prawn nibbles – prawn baguette toasts, prawn and coconut bites, and prawn and potato lattice balls. The word prawn is starting to look weird.

There are also smoked salmon appetisers, where smoked salmon strips are rolled around a honey roast salmon mousse. Hope ya like very small fish!

Calm down M&S it’s getting weird now

M&S festive bao buns
M&S festive bao buns
The viral M&S turkey feast dip
The viral M&S turkey feast dip
Mini steak sandwiches from the M&S party food range
Mini steak sandwiches

I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the M&S party food is discussed, because I’m pretty sure no one around that boardroom table is telling them ‘No, Arabella, that’s a silly idea’. Arabella does what she wants.

This year, she’s heard all the ‘girl dinner’ trends and gone ‘WE SHOULD MAKE A CHRISTMAS DIP’ – the result is a turkey feast dip topped with shredded turkey and bacon, cranberry sauce, cranberries and a stuffing crumb. WHY, ARABELLA?!

They’ve also brought back the novelty-shaped bao, this year in two festive shapes – penguins and polar bears.

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And of course you can still get miniature steak sandwiches and I don’t know why that makes me so uncomfortable, but it does.

A very yeehaw Christmas

M&S Mini beef burgers
M&S Mini beef burgers
Buffalo chicken croquettes and New York deli spring rolls at M&S
Buffalo chicken croquettes and New York deli spring rolls at M&S

Giddy up, cowboy, it’s time for the rootin’-tootin’ M&S party food show!

Everyone’s favourite fancy supermarket has gone stateside this year, drawing inspiration from the healthiest of nations… America.

There are Buffalo chicken croquettes, served with an extra Buffalo sauce dip, mini beef burgers (always the hardest thing to eat), and, weirdly, spring rolls inspired by a New York deli?

They’ve shoved salt beef and sauerkraut into a spring roll and then served it with a mustard and gherkin dip. You do you, M&S.

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Now you’re just showing off

M&S party food 2024 - the charcutertree
M&S party food 2024 – the charcuter-tree. Credit: The Manc Group

You’re presenting your charcuterie on a flat board? Peasant.

Real fancy people present their cured meat and cheese selection in the shape of a Christmas tree (obviously) and M&S have got a build-you-own kit available for £25.

An extra shout-out to the security-locked Serrano ham joint, which came with its own block and knife, for another statuesque meat buffet option.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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