Pop Boutique

I often forget about Pop Boutique if I’m honest — the café next door is what would bring me close by. However, with some friends visiting for the weekend, we decided to step in so I could show off what Manchester shops have to offer.
Upstairs has racks of well sorted clothes to look through, much of which is ‘reworked’ vintage or vintage inspired, meaning the price tag isn’t the same £5 here and £10 there like in Ryan Vintage. There are some gorgeous shirts and dresses, a few pairs of leather shorts and cut-​off Levis for £15 that were very hard to walk past…
Downstairs you can find an array of homeware and more clothing — including some very special dungarees. Unfortunately the very beautiful jukebox isn’t for sale!
There’s little to make Pop really stand out (or, dare I say, ‘pop’) in comparison to surrounding vintage stores, but it’s worth a browse if you’re looking to spend your money on something a little bit different to the high street.

People familiar with Manchester’s Northern Quarter will no doubt be aware of its status as an alternative shopping haven — a reputation richly deserved thanks to long-​established shops like Pop Boutique.
If you’re into retro and vintage threads, whether full time or once in a while, this is a must on every Saturday trawl through the city. Filled with original retro reproduction garments, there’s choices for both men and women packed into the well stocked ground floor. A particular favourite are the staple cord trousers, fifties-​look tea dresses and polo shirts.
Added to the shops’ own brand gear is a healthy dose of genuine vintage items, chosen with more care and attention than many of the more aircraft-​hangar-​like vintage shops I’ve seen in my time. Keep your eye out for great knee-​length leather boots that are a fair bit cheaper than their Office equivalents.
Downstairs the shop has an impressive selection of homewares, from glassware to wall art, where you might just find me drooling over lampshades for hours on end.
The latest addition to the building is the Sweetooth Cupcakery, a cutesy and kitsch little cupcake shop and milk bar with some of the most impossibly attractive and friendly staff you’ll see for some time.
And the friendliness of the staff thankfully runs throughout — Pop Boutique happily manages to avoid the ‘too darn hip’ attitude that pervades so many retro and vintage boutiques. The relaxed feeling has been enough to keep me coming back time and again, even if I haven’t found a purchase every single time.

My first venture into Pop was downstairs to the café. It did amazing teas and smoothies and most of all it looked and therefore made me feel great. Silly enough I actually abandoned it and my most recent visit disappointed me majorly when I found it was no longer there. Instead downstairs you can find the furniture department. I walk around and think who actually buys these things. There are some crazy finds but «unique» nevertheless.
Anyways the clothes, shoes and other bits upstairs is what imagine keeps this place in business. It’s got some very interesting, unique looking, vintagey second hand pieces. What you’d expect from a boutique and in the Northern Quarter. There were a few handbags I particularly liked but wasn’t so sure on paying the price tag for. That’s the things with these places, they pride themselves on harbouring the secret finds. Pop in now and again as you’ll probably find some great pieces.

I have been coming here for decades now and I’m feel let down by pop. It is a Manchester institution and has a fond place in my heart. That being said the «vintage» clothes are limited and expensive. It used to be so cool and crammed pack full of retro/​vintage finds. The Café is ok but the other vintage shops in the area are better. It pains me to say that it needs more stock and to pull it’s finger out!

Pop Boutique is about as Northern Quarter as the Northern Quarter gets. Sitting on Oldham Street, it’s a homage to all things vintage and stocks an amazing amount of awesome retro gear.
In fact, am I the only one who thinks that some of the stuff in here is actually new but made to look vintage. In fact, I think I’m probably right. But then the clothes still look like the real thing so I don’t really care.
I came in here with my friend because he said they did really good hot chocolate downstairs in their café. Unfortunately, we went down the stairs and soon discovered that the café here is now closed, meaning that the basement of Pop Boutique is now full of just more clothes and some old school home furnishings as well.
I’m going to back to Pop Boutique soon and get me one of those classic Christmas reindeer jumpers.

Pop Boutique is one of the finest places to shop in Manchester, provided you like retro and vintage stuff. If you’re looking for something for the WAGs ball, then this place will make you weep openly in the street.
Over two floors you’ll find flared hipster cords, vintage tracksuit tops, ‘50s dresses, skinny jumpers and cardigans, pop-​art clocks and mugs and great little trinkets, should you be looking for an interesting birthday present for someone.
Downstairs is more focused on vintage and retro things for the home. They have some ace Bakelite phones and some wonderful over-​sized lampshades made from 60’s/70’s material. There’s also a café too, should you need a brew or bite.
The whole thing is very easy on the pocket and the staff are all pretty nice (if impossibly good-​looking).
Even better is that, at the back of the shop is Barbarella, a hairdresser that specialises in retro cuts and is very reasonable on the wallet/​purse too.
Well worth a mooch.

Rivalling Thunderegg’s «look at me! Look at me!» shopfront is Pop Boutique’s pretty yellow affair with an ever-​changing display of its awesome wares. The window display works in the same way as Retro Rehabs; they have the mannequin (s) dressed up different every week or so, in a different setting, using vintage furniture and accessories. It always looks bang-​on ace.
Inside, Pop is just as exciting and fun as outside. Down the left hand side we have menswear; an awesome array of colour-​arranged logo t-​shirts, retro tracky tops, jeans and funky knitwear. The menswear section is a safe bet for a present for any boy with indie leanings. Some of the logo tees are cheeky, some retro, some kind of kitsch. They all come in at about £10. Down the right hand side is a lovely selection of cute vintage dresses, some of which are as-​is, and some have been altered to look more modern. This alteration is almost always a good thing; you could end up with a nice summer dress in a geometric 80s print, and working two trends at once is always a good thing, especially in a recession! Once you’ve leafed through the clothes on the ground floor, move on to the sunglasses rack, bursting with awesome retro styling, or the accessories bit next to the till, where you can find tons of plastic beads and funky tights (not worn).
In terms of shoes, expect to see a lot of secondhand Converse, a pleasing range of new canvas plimsolls in a variety of colours, and the odd real vintage pair. Two years ago I purchased a pair of 80s calf-​boots in dark blue leather, despite having struggled to get them on my half-​a-​size-​too-​big feet. Even when the shop assistant tried to discourage me («we don’t take returns on things not fitting…») I still spent £35 on them, wore them once, hobbled for a week and gave them to a friend. Let this be a warning to you: don’t get caught up in the awesomeness and forget that you need to be able to walk!
Downstairs you will find more vintage clothes, often a little bit more ‘special’ than the pieces upstairs. Where upstairs is regimented and modern, you could pick up an ABBA-​esque jumpsuit or a Barbour jacket downstairs. Anything goes, and that includes the homewares, which are awesome. Vintage suitcases, port decanters, fluffy cushions, phones that look like lips or Mickey Mouse. The stuff available downstairs is generally more expensive than the stuff upstairs, which is probably down to the fact that some of the stuff downstairs is practically antique. And as a similar Mickey Mouse phone recently went on eBay for £50, Pop’s pricing of it at £45 was pretty good.
The café in Pop is OK. It’s vegetarian and a little scabby so I rarely eat there. I like to go in the winter because it’s the only place I know in the city centre that’ll do you a hot Vimto for a smashing 50p. The cheesy beans on toast is also good, but if you’re in the Northern Quarter and you fancy a bite to eat, there are better places, frankly.
Though it may not offer the best or biggest range of vintage clothes in the city, Pop offers a fun shopping experience and the chance to pick up something truly unique for your home. It’s always worth a visit and with the beaded necklaces starting at £2, there’s something for every pocket.

If I was working at Pop Boutique I’d be tempted to turn off the neon sign that boldly encourages retro lovers to ‘Come and worship’.
Once the hippest vintage shop in the city, PB now looks like a ghost of it’s former self. The window displays look tired and empty and the stock looks exactly the same as it did years ago. By this I mean, exactly the same flared and bootleg jeans, cords, psychadelic dresses and tracksuit tops. In short — the shop needs to get it’s groove back and fast if it wants to hold on to it’s Superfly reputation!

Pop Boutique is a great little offering situated on what I like to call Manchester’s ‘Vintage Boulevard’, Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, alongside many other thrift stores and second-​hand record shops. It’s the best of both worlds, because as Alexandra said indeed the clothes are well presented and easy to sift through but there are also higgledy-​piggledy little baskets here and there with plenty of clutter to root around in. I got very pale peach coloured Converse baseball boots with a little flower on each of them in fantastic condition, and a pair of ace sunglasses here for mega cheap. Bargains!
I will say that Pop has improved in the last few years and seems to now be more about unique little finds than the rows of multicoloured corduroy flares it seemed to specialise in when those used to be a staple part of my wardrobe. It was easy, predictable… £30 for a pair of bright bellbottoms that no doubt some other little aspiring hippy at college would have the following week. Now, it seems to be competing with the rest of Vintage Boulevard and that’s no bad thing. There are plenty of cheesy items for the guys, from seventies ski jumpers truly worthy of a Swedish chalet (SWEDISH! I might wear one into Clas Ohlson and see what happens) to animal sweaters, and this will only excite you as much as it does me if you too love Bret from Flight of the Conchords.
I’m a huge fan of the logo T-​shirts at Pop Boutique as well as the reasonably priced sixties-​style dresses which I find are great for lazy boho summers, drinking fruit beer in Piccadilly Gardens. Also, as I’ve mentioned, the shoe collection is top notch and sometimes you can even find great things for the home, from hamburger phones to funky lampshades. The faux fur jackets and gilets are also worth a look, as well as scarves, mittens, earmuffs… I could go on. But I won’t. I’ll let you experience it for yourselves, and if all that thrifty sifting builds up an appetite there’s an excellent little café on site too. Now THAT’S genius…

Vintage used to be all about finding something rare and unusual, something you could bet your mates– and everyone elses– wouldn’t have. Scrambling around a thrift store, unearthing a gem, paying next to nothing– that was the fun wasn’t it? I mean isn’t that what it’s all about? So what has happened?
Vintage shops these days are more like chian stores– you see the same stuff everywhere! Why? Because it all comes from the same sorting warehouse and ‘vintage’ shops just buy by the weight of the load.
I’m not blaming POP– it is still the best of the bunch. But go in Blue Rinse, Best Vintage, The Vintage Clothing Co or POP and you will find the same burgundy woolen V neck sweater, the same tan leather jacket with the funnel neck, the same polka dot scarf etc etc.
I used to think the same things that the other reviewers have wrote but as we all know– once you swallow the red pill you can’t go back!

Pop Boutique is a little godsend. I absolutely love vintage but gone are the days I have enough patience or enough time to sit sifting through bulging isles of second hand clothes in second hand/​charity shops.
Its a sad fact that now I need a place where the clothes are presented well and I can easily find/​see what I want. Pop Boutique provides this environment.
I would say that this place is a little on the pricey side compared to your average vintage shop but I don’t mind paying a little more for such a beautiful little shop that I can dash in and out of :)

Fashion comes and goes in cycles. So, you could just raid Pop’s rails, grab something from each of the decades it covers (60s, 70s, 80s mostly) then when the time comes open Vogue, make some quick alterations. Bob’s your uncle.
The staff are friendly (much friendlier than the staff in the London store) and the vibe is cool on both the top floor (clothes) and lower floor (furniture and home accessories plus their café).
I think Pop might just signal the way vintage is going; I wouldn’t be surprised if they roll out their specific brand of kooky vintage even further afield. It is clean and easy enough to navigate to invite Topshop lovers who wouldn’t venture into other unknown entities around this area. They strike this balance perfectly, and have been awarded through word of mouth.
The prices aren’t exactly cheap but at least you know that you won’t walk into a club and see 6 or 7 people wearing the same skirt. Unless you want to trawl through an Oxfam in a wealthy neighbourhood, this is the closest we’re going to get to what our mothers/​grandmothers had — original, well crafted fashion that won’t break the bank.
So you won’t find any dresses for a £1 exactly (tip: have you heard of Primark?) but you might just find something that will last.

I love the relaxed atmosphere in this vintage shop! It sells household items, furniture, clothing, accessories, the list goes on There is a café downstairs for if you need a rest from all of your tiresome shopping! I reccomend this shop for anyone who likes funky items!

If reto or vintage is your thing, then you need to get down to this place in Manchester.
It’s a funky little boutique that stocks mainly clothes but they do have some homeware items aswell.
The clothing is nearly all vintage on off pieces and it is particually good for party dresses.
Pop boutique however do there own range of jeans and chordrouy flares and also some jackets.
The homeware is typical retro stuufs including bakerlite phones and soda sypthons.
Downstairs there is also a funky little record shop and café with cheap food and drinks.

This shop holds special memories for me because it’s where I discovered my love of vintage fashion about 10 years ago! :) I was a poor student and realised you could buy really cool clothes for hardly anything and they were unique too! I stopped going in all the high street shops and mostly bought vintage and very often here at Pop Boutique. I think it’s become a little more mainstream now, but still sells some fantastic pieces and great vintage basics like jackets, chords, jeans, scarves and bags. I got so many cute dresses, skirts and tops in here very cheap that I’m still wearing 10 years later. They’ve worn better than most of my other clothes from high street retailers. Vintage is the way forward and Pop Boutique is a must for anyone but especially students on a tight budget.

Pop Boutique is very unique and lovely shop! When my friends come over to see me, I bring them there.
It is so original and they sell retro fashion, well displayed, lots of pop colour!
But it is more like art museum and I cannot find any which would suits for me yet.

Gret retro clothes/​accessories shop upstairs, downstairs to hairdresser, café, record shop and homewares! Always some great retro things to be had, very pop 60’s feel! It does smell musty but hey-​ho, it’s a vintage clothes shop! Café sells lovely veggie/​vegan food alongside stuff for omnivores! Record shop has a good range and of course it’s only vinyl!

I visited Pop Boutique in the Northern Quarter recently with the missus (and younger daughter) so she (the missus not the daughter) could pick up some cheapish, garish threads. Not quite contemplating this would have anything I could happily wear on my back in the local boozer I was surprised at the amount of decent clothing the discerning gentleman could get away with here. They have a large selection (both male and female) of second hand clothing which somehow works in these free for all days. They also sell own brand Pop Boutique clothing at very decent prices (I picked up a ‘tee’ for just over a tenner… and it fits perfectly one of those which fast becomes your new best mate… in clothing terms at least) and vintage clothing company gear.
Dotted around the store are items as diverse as ‘hippy/​peasant’ urban hand luggage; ’60’s men’ post baggy kagools; ‘high mushroom bearded’ trackie tops; ‘cinematic lounge’ sports apparel; ‘Terry and June-​esque’ reading lamps; greetings/​birthday cards; gifts and much more. Downstairs there is an odd looking café retreat (with looks akin to the set of ‘Are you being served?’ crossed with ‘early bond’ set) which serves decent nosh (my little girl fancied the veggie bangers and mash and she seemed to thoroughly enjoy it). I had a healthy side salad of strong coffee which topped my bill. Sadly the original Café Pop’ is no longer there, a place which was much loved and very highly rated… I’m not sure where it has gone (or at least the business/​chef) but it may have (hopefully) moved onto a separate, larger site.
There are other Pop Boutiques in Liverpool and London.

Loads of really cool things in here!
There’s loads of vintagey clothes and at reasonable prices. They have belts, jackets, coats, dresses and skirts, everything!
They also have cards for all occasions and loads of accessories. There is a café downstairs and also a hairdressers. They had some wicked footwear as well.
The staff were really nice — I brought a cool necklace for £4 and told them it was a present and they gave me a cool little gift bag to put it in which will make it look really good when I give it!
It’s not a very big shop when you think about the ones in the arndale but it is case of quality not quantity i think. There was so much stuff I wanted in here. All kooky and cool.
Its a great place to buy presents for people — including yourself!
There is also lots of funky homewares things.

Pop Boutique is a funky, 60s, 70s, 80s vintage shop with new and old clothing.
On the new side there are bags made with the pop boutique logo, and purple cord pants, and the old; well anything if you guess!
It is a treasure trove, and well worth a vist if you love funky things and vintage clothing but I can’t help but think there is an age limit on the clothing, especially the new products — there’s only so long you can wear bright cords for right?!