After an incredibly long few months of clothing shops being closed, Manchester’s high street will finally reopen on April 12.
I’m sure many people are already geared up for their first post-lockdown shopping trip, whether it’s a visit to The Trafford Centre or stocking up on Primark’s latest offerings.
But there is much more to Manchester’s shopping scene than these big-name brands – the city is filled with hidden gems that will also be welcoming back customers on Monday.
If you’re looking to shop somewhere new while supporting local businesses, we’ve got just the list for you.
Here are some of our favourite independent clothing boutiques in Greater Manchester that you’ll be able to visit from April 12.
McQueen Independent has been a staple of Manchester’s high street since 1994, offering a variety of colourful and creative garments with a personal touch.
Owners have curated a collection of lesser-known labels to build a lasting wardrobe for customers, plus these stylish pieces are also sustainable.
If you’re sick and tired of your existing wardrobe, this secondhand clothing hotspot will be your go-to location for discovering some fresh new pieces.
Lief operates a swap shop to find new homes for your old clothes, as well as selling many quirky and artistic pieces from independent makers.
Newly launched in February 2021, Mockingbirds is Withington’s trendiest boutique catering to all tastes, styles and needs.
This is a clothing store that isn’t afraid to step out of the ‘comfort zone’ with bold colours and designs – and it appears like there’s something here for everyone.
There’s no better place to embrace the iconic Mancunian street style than with this boutique, which offers premium hand-picked vintage and modern clothing.
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Bionic Seven covers all of menswear musts – from authentic Levis to Burberry and everything in between.
Established in 1995, Abayas is the pioneer of stylish Islamic and modest clothing.
The brand has its finger right on the pulse of what’s trendy, showing that “conformity to Islamic guidelines need not compromise on elegance and style.”
This glamorous and girly boutique isn’t afraid to push the boat out with adventurous but still incredibly on-trend pieces.
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Whether you’re looking to make a statement in a faux leather coat or embrace your inner 70s with a fringed jacket, Eternal Envy will be your one-stop-shop for any spring wardrobe essentials.
If you’re not afraid to have some fun with your fashion, this quirky and retro boutique is for you.
The store has become a staple of the Northern Quarter with energetic and vintage-inspired pieces, offering everything from pastel rainbow crochet shackets to cat print midi dresses.
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Pear)
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Keo play Projekts: garage and grunge revivalists crush Manchester skatepark for new music video
Danny Jones
This past Thursday evening, fast-rising rock band Keo took over Projekts MCR skatepark for a special pop-up gig and to film a brand-new music video for their latest single, ‘Pistol’, starring some of their biggest fans here in Manchester.
In fact, it didn’t take long for us to suss out that plenty of them had flocked from far and wide to be there, and let’s say we’re sure they’ll say it was worth the journey.
We caught Keo’s well-attended festival set inside the Woodlands at Kendal Calling 2025, not to mention their completely sold-out show at the O2 Ritz back in March – their biggest headline date up to that point – and we’re more certain than ever that they’re going to be absolutely massive.
And if they keep up doing more memorable stuff like this, it’s just a matter of how soon…
Packing out Projekts to the point that people were literally hanging off fences and standing on electrical boxes at the side of the street to try and get a peek at the post-punk, grunge and garage rockers, some of their most enthusiastic young fans had been waiting outside the location as early as noon.
For context, doors opened six hours later, and the boys didn’t come on until 7:30pm.
Those who signed up to Keo‘s mailing list were sent information regarding securing a spot at the one-off performance earlier this month.
While you would have seen the place fill up even if they were just standard concert tickets, the fact that the band were taping the whole thing to use as the visuals for their newest single, as mentioned, meant that Keo’s avid followers were literally clamouring AND clambering to get the best view position possible.
Turning the popular skaters’ hub’s central bowl into a makeshift stage, with lights, camera, booms and various crew surrounding the entire venue, it was a surreal experience to say the least.
And, of course, they were absolutely brilliant – just as they were at the Ritz at the start of the year and Kendal before that, playing a short but sweet set that left everyone wanting more and choruses of punters chanting Keo long after the final song.
We can’t wait to see how the video itself turns out, especially seeing how much the people who wrapped around them and the skatepark were lost in the moment, and we’re also looking forward to them headlining Neighbourhood Fest in Manchester city centre this October.
You can grab a ticket to see them and the rest of the NBHD lineup right HERE, but until then, give the full studio version of ‘Pistol’ a play and get ready for their debut album.
Daisy Bradbury -
9th April 2021 
