Intro, the 90s Manchester menswear store that survived the IRA bomb
A fixture in the city centre for three generations, the business was originally started by the late Irvin Grant in 1980s in the Royal Exchange under the name Zico.
With a glut of new luxury menswear stores opening in Manchester city it’s easy to overlook what we already have.
In the past few years, Manchester’s welcomed the likes of KershKicks, KickGame, Sneaker63, Yards Store, Clints Inc and, more recently, END. Clothing, significantly upping its premium menswear game.
Whilst it’s been a long time coming, right now it feels like there are endless options for male shoppers looking for some luxury. But for those who knew where to look, there have always been a few reliable gems.
We’re talking about INTRO a local family-run clothing store that’s been dressing well-heeled Mancs ever since the nineties.
A fixture in the city centre for three generations, the business was originally started by the late Irvin Grant in 1980s in the Royal Exchange under the name Zico.
The first floor of INTRO clothing on Deansgate. / Image: The Manc Group
Image: Supplied
Named after the famous 80s Brazilian footballer Arthur Antunes Coimbra, better known as Zico, the store became something of a go-to in the eighties and early nineties for fashionable gents – until the bomb hit, anyway.
After many happy years, the storefront was forced to relocate after it was nearly destroyed by the devastating 1996 IRA Bomb, which famously left little more than a bright red Market Street post box standing in its wake.
Fortunately, Irvin had already opened a second store, INTRO, with the same philosophy six years earlier. This meant that when disaster struck his sought after collections of exclusive, premium menswear were able to relocate to INTRO.
Sadly Irvin passed away from cancer earlier this year, so now the family legacy is being carried on by his sons Oliver and Adam.
They tell us: “Basically dad originally went to work for his dad in the late 1960s at his shop called Just in Fashion just off Market street.
“At the time, the store also carried the same philosophy of showcasing brands you couldn’t find anywhere else, in those days it was Levi’s flared jeans and Ben Sherman shirts!
“His mum also owned a shoe company specialising in handmade leather shoes from Portugal which celebrities like Tom Jones would wear.”
Image: Supplied
mage: Supplied
“We’ve always tried to stick with the same philosophy which continues to this: keeping it exclusive, and something you can’t find everywhere else, and that’s what we’ll always be like.”
“We’re not going to do commercial labels, we’re about being different a bit European […] We do things differently.”
“So from the 80s he had a shop called Zico then he opened a shop called INTRO in 1990, because Zico was at the Royal Exchange.
“We had two shops at the time, INTRO and Zico, and 1996 when the bomb went off Zico got hit hard and it affected business so Zico was written off, so that was the end of that in 96. But INTRO continued, yeah. and like I say 1990 established and hopefully we’ll continue.”
Since 2000 you’ll find INTRO on Deansgate on the front of the Barton Arcade. Thirty-two years on, it’s still going strong and stocking some of the most sought-after exclusive luxury menswear brands on the market.
Inside, you’ll find clothing and accessories from brands such as Thom Krom, Transit, Hannes Roether, Danile Fiesoli, Tramarossa, Herno, Limitato, Off The Rails, PT Torino, Vision of Super, Cote & Ciel, Goti and many more.
Split across two floors, a quick dig into the rails reveals graphic t-shirts, sweatpants, hoodies, luxury trainers and rows upon rows of designer jeans.
Elsewhere, for those after more business-appropriate attire, you’ll find a mix of smart suit jackets and tailored but casual sports coats, jackets and overshirts, perfect for taking busy city lads from day to night.
As well as having a physical shop on Deansgate, INTRO also has an online store where shoppers can browse at leisure online. To find out more and visit Intro’s website, click here.
Feature image – The Manc Group
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Aspiring artists can get their work displayed on one of the biggest digital screens in Manchester
Danny Jones
Are you a budding artist looking to get your work seen or know some who is? Well, you might want to pay attention because there’s an opportunity to have your creation seen by countless passers-by and on one of the biggest displays in the entire UK over at the Printworks.
If you’ve passed through the much-loved hospitality and leisure complex over the past year or so, you’ll have noticed their roof is now no longer a roof at all, really; the striking ceiling is now a constantly moving image and the largest of its kind in all of Europe.
Meaning that anyone who got their artworks on there would effectively be securing one of the biggest displays and public installations on the continent.
As Printworks themselves put it: “This isn’t just a screen; it’s an artistic stage viewed by millions of visitors every year, with the power to turn a single artwork into a 360-degree sensory experience.”
With that in mind, they’re giving one lucky individual the chance to grab the spotlight and see their creative expression plastered on the 1,000m² wraparound LED canvas.
“Supporting emerging talent and seeing fresh, creative perspectives is always inspiring, and I can’t wait to see what these young artists bring to the table! It was so surreal seeing my artwork on the digital.”
Past installations have included the ‘Spaces Up-Above’ exhibition by world-renowned light artist, Rupert Newman, as well as an International Women’s Day showcase by Heitzman herself, as a fellow Manchester-based creative.
In case you need a better idea of the sheer scale of this screen and why this is such an exciting opportunity for up-and-coming local artists, here’s how they celebrated Oasis returning to Manchester for their Heaton Park reunion gigs this week:
Synchronised with sound and added motion effects, the competition is now open to students who are currently enrolled in college, university or art school.
Better still, you don’t even have to be from or based in the area to take part – this is a nationwide competition hoping to spotlight the best talents in the UK.
All you have to do to enter this exciting competition in Manchester is simply provide Printworks your details and upload your artwork of choice HERE by Sunday, 3 August.
Nostalgic ready-to-drink Breezer makes UK return after a decade
Daisy Jackson
An iconic ready-to-drink favourite has launched back into the UK – oh yes, Breezer is back.
First launched in the 1990s, Breezers – then pitched as an ‘alcopop’ – were a staple on dancefloors and at barbecues right across the UK.
And now Bacardi has decided to bring these delicious, fruity, easy-drinking bottles back to British shores.
There are three new flavours to try as Breezers return to your fridges – Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime, and Crisp Watermelon.
And Breezer launched back into Manchester last night with a suitably memorable party, turning a spot in the Northern Quarter into a corner shop.
The ‘local Cornerbop’ was stacked with your usual essentials, plus shelf after shelf of these colourful glass ready-to-drink bottles.
Inside the Breezer ‘Cornerbop’ corner shop in ManchesterBreezer is back, in three new flavours
The Breezer relaunch party saw Tarsza and Rennie Peters spinning nostalgic anthems with a modern twist at a pop-up party in a corner shop.
Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “We know there is a lot of love for Breezer in the UK, and we are confident a new generation of consumers will fall in love with the new Breezer.
“RTDs are booming, however, the Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages category could do with a bit more excitement. By bringing back Breezer we’re definitely putting the fruity taste into FAB.”
The iconic ready-to-drink classic is back – and better than ever.
The Manc -
23rd September 2022 
