At weekends, this four-floor alternative shopping institution crawls with disaffected teens - for a leisurely browse, go midweek. You'll find new designers,...

One word: gorgeous. (For men, the one word is 'phwoar'.) But there's nothing sleazy about AP's beautifully constructed lingerie. The shop's interior suits...

This Manchester-based company sells its unique greetings cards all over the world, but its shop remains closer to home. There are no naff floral designs or...

There are very few good reasons not to give up smoking, but this shop is one of them. Its smell immediately transports you to Havana, and the place offers...

A Gay Village institution, Clone Zone stocks a wide range of gay and lesbian publications - such as obscure, arty and erotic magazines - and, most famously,...

Resembling an Edwardian boudoir, with its gilt chaise and sweeping silk curtains, Cocu & Chadwick is devoted to corsetry. And rightly so - their structured...

This long-established creative hub continues to draw the best local talent. Each floor is lined with small shops and studios, and many traders design on...

The perfect antidote to chain shops, Den stocks a mixture of its own made-to-order furniture and individual (and often 're-loved') vintage finds - all made...

This place should still be a secret but now it's not, because the Elite Dress Agency has been clothing Manchester's best turned-out for years. It carries a...

Manchester is home to Face Stockholm's only UK store. If a fake tan isn't your thing and you prefer to avoid looking like a clown, you'll love the...

This Manchester-based independent chain, stocking the cream of each season's fashion crop, recently upped sticks and moved from St Ann's Square to the...

'Supplying the creative mind since 1861' states the sign. It doesn't sell opium, but Fred Aldous does offer a huge basement packed with everything the...

With its name in bold, red lights above the door, General Store is an unlikely find in the elegant Victorian setting of the Barton Arcade. Home to...

Chocolate. In beautiful, minimalist black packaging, sprinkled with such enticements as swirls of cream, dried raspberries and orange peel. It's a long way...