Beauty fans rejoice – Sephora has finally announced plans to open a store in Manchester, and soon.
The world-famous retailer, which stops luxury skincare and makeup brands as well as cult items, has secured a spot in the Trafford Centre.
This will be the third UK store for Sephora, which currently has two shops down in London, and its first trip up north.
And after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
Hoardings have appeared inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding, around a unit next to AllSaints.
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The signs read: “Manchester, you called it. Our first Northern store in 2024.”
Sephora says it will ‘redefine the beauty landscape in the North with an extraordinary product range that caters to the diverse needs of beauty enthusiasts’.
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Cult brands stocked at Sephora include Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, The Ordinary, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.
Sephora wrote on Instagram: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER.
“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”
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The Trafford Centre shared: “You asked, we listened! The wait is over….your @sephorauk opens late Spring 2024.”
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Sephora to Manchester, one of the most vibrant cities for beauty in the UK.
“Expanding our presence beyond London is something that consumers have been screaming out for, and we are listening hard to them when deciding where to go next.
“The Trafford Centre, known for its iconic atmosphere and diverse retail offering, is the perfect location for our third store.”
Russell Loveland, managing director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, said: “This iconic beauty giant already has a cult following, and our own social media has been blowing up with enquiries from excited customers eager for Sephora to open.
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“We are very proud Sephora chose the Trafford Centre for its next location, which will be its first store in the North of England, and know it will be a fantastic success and a great addition to our strong international brand lineup.”
One person commented on Sephora’s Instagram post: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”
Another said: “OMG ITS HAPPENING, STAY CALM”
And someone wrote on Trafford Centre’s post: “Omg omg can’t wait.”
Jellycat launches new Manchester store, with exclusive characters
Daisy Jackson
Jellycat has launched a shiny new store, this time in Manchester city centre – and they brought exclusive new characters with them.
The beloved soft toy brand has unveiled its newest location within Selfridges on Exchange Square, filled with all the adorable plushie animals and objects you already know and love, plus some new friends that are exclusive to Manchester.
Making their debut in our city are Salty Steve and Vinny Vinegar, two adorable smiling condiment bottles, plus Clemont Lemon, a sunny yellow soft toy, and Charlie Chip in his flat cap.
As part of the iconic Fish & Chips range, Mancs will also be able to take home Lily Fish, Cosy Chips, and Dot and Peggy Mushy Peas.
The Jellycat Fish & Chips van became a social media sensation after launching in London.
Inside the adorable space are larger-than-life oversized Jellycat favourites including Amuseables Cosy Chips, and Chip Seagull, perfect for a photo opportunity.
Vinny VinegarClemont LemonCharlie ChipLily FishInside the new Jellycat storeEggetha Egg & Lance Soldier
Jane Sharrocks, Store Director at Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the Jellycat General Store to Selfridges Exchange Square.
“We know our customers are huge Jellycat fans so we can’t wait to bring this iconic destination to our store.
“This launch means that our customers can purchase the characters from the exclusive Fish & Chips collection for the first time outside of Selfridges London which is so exciting.
“With so many Jellycat favourites, it’s going to be hard to choose which ones to take home!”
The new Jellycat store is open today – Monday 17 February – at Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square.
Sephora’s arrival in Manchester last year triggered huge queues of shoppers eager to browse the retailer’s collection of exclusive, viral and classic beauty products.
This will be the 10th UK store for the brand, with more to come in Sheffield and Liverpool in 2025.
Inside Sephora, shoppers are able to browse in-person for brands that are often hard to come by in the UK, including exclusive-to-Sephora brands like Makeup by Mario, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, and Topicals, plus Glossier and Selena Gomez’s Rare beauty.
The store is also famed for its huge selection of ‘minis’, allowing beauty enthusiasts to try out the hottest products on the market for less.
Sephora has announced a second store in the Manchester Arndale. Credit: The Manc GroupSephora has announced a second store in the Manchester Arndale. Credit: The Manc Group
There’ll be a Beauty Hub in store, offering full glam, facials, hair styling, and brows by Benefit Cosmetics.
Sarah Boyd, Managing Director, Sephora UK, said: “Manchester showed us phenomenal support when we opened our first store in the region, which blew away all our expectations.
“We are thrilled bringing a second beauty playground to our customers in this vibrant and culturally rich city, allowing us to reach even more shoppers with a city centre location at Arndale.
“We already know there is strong appetite from beauty enthusiasts in Manchester as we saw over 2000 eager customers queue on our opening day last year, and we look forward to recreating the same energy at Arndale and to continue providing an unparalleled beauty experience like no other.”
Daisy Jackson -
22nd April 2024 
