Pop Boutique

The Northern Quarter has always been Manchester’s epicentre of retro chic, and this was also one of the first city district’s anywhere in the UK to become known for fashionable second hand and thrift stores. If you’re looking for a catalyst, then 34-36 Oldham Street has a lot to answer for. Although Pop Boutique wasn’t always based at this address, with the shop itself originating just around the corner in another of town’s most iconic alternative retail spaces, Affleck’s Palace, where you’ll still find a stall today. 

It all began in 1983, when Richard Free started travelling down to London and making a beeline for Camden and Greenwich markets. Perusing the stalls, he’d fill his proverbial boots with vintage clothing and other choice antique items. A clear eye for quality and style, two years on he decided to take a punt and open the very first permanent Pop Boutique shop in Manchester. This quickly became so successful a second site opened down the M62 in Liverpool within a couple of years.

By the early-1990s, the team were selling vintage items in Topshop on Oxford Circus, London, importing en masse from the US and Europe, and exporting to clients worldwide. 1994 then saw the business set up in an Oldham Street basement, and this remains the company’s flagship IRL site today, with other locations in cities across the north of England. Not to mention two in Sweden’s coolest towns — Gothenburg and Malmö. Whether it’s classic band t-shirts, hippy dresses, 1940s silk pink and white striped blouses, epoch defining jewellery, original terrace wears, classic knitwear, leather jackets, or accessories, you can almost guarantee walking away with a standout item for a reasonable price. Not to mention Pop Boutique’s own branded stuff, like the iconic tote bags you get for free with any purchase over £10.