Anyone who has walked the streets of Manchester can tell you that it’s a fashionable city. From students to office workers, its residents are known for their effortless style and love of retro fashion trends. One of the reasons for this is the many fantastic vintage shops and thrift stores Manchester has to offer. In fact, the city’s alternative Northern Quarter is home to some of the best vintage clothing stores and boutique charity shops in the entire country.
Whether you’re looking for elegant 50s dresses, 70s mod jackets, 90s band tees, or just great deals on clothes, you’re guaranteed to find it in Manchester. There’s so much more on offer than the unwanted hand-me-downs often associated with second-hand stores. Manchester’s vintage shops are packed with high-quality and great-value treasures.
Ready to shop? Below are 8 of the best thrift stores in Manchester.
My Thrift Stores Manchester Guide
Afflecks
Afflecks is a large indoor market in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The famous shopping emporium is spread over multiple floors and is known for its quirky independent traders, including plenty of thrift shops and vintage fashion.
Traders regularly change and there’s always something new to discover. Milner & Son is a cool spot for vintage clothing, second-hand homeware, and retro toys and gadgets. Red and Blue Umbrella focus on cartoon vintage and sportswear. Or for something a little fun and different, American Graffiti is one of the most colourful vintage and retro shops Manchester has to offer. If you’re looking for a costume for your next fancy dress party, this is the place to go.
With a variety of traders all under one roof, Afflecks is a great one-stop destination for vintage shopping in Manchester. Especially during rainy winter months when you don’t want to be outside too much.
Address: 52 Church Street, Manchester
Blue Rinse
It’s almost impossible to miss Blue Rinse when walking along Oldham Street in Manchester, with its colourful graffiti exterior, ever-changing window display, and name in bold bubble letters.
Inside, the vintage store is just as colourful. Brightly decorated murals frame rows of vintage, reworked and thrifted clothing, specialising in 80s and 90s fashion. If oversized denim, patterned knits, and flannel shirts are your style, Blue Rinse is the vintage store in Manchester for you. The shop also has some great vintage football jerseys and sports gear.
Plus don’t miss the daily kilo sale, with 1kg of vintage clothing for just £15. The entrance is right next door to the main Blue Rinse shop.
Address: 29-31 Oldham Street, Manchester
Pop Boutique
While Pop Boutique now has multiple locations in cities across England and Sweden, their story began in Manchester in 1985 with their first permanent vintage shop in Afflecks. The small clothing store can still be found in its original location in the market today. Almost 10 years later, the brand expanded by opening its now-iconic Oldham Street store.
Pop Boutique on Oldham Street is one of the best vintage stores in Manchester, with two floors packed with fantastic thrifted items. On the ground floor, you’ll find plenty of recycled and vintage clothing from the 50s-90s, as well as their own brand collection. Downstairs is an all-in-one vintage shopping haven, with everything from retro jewellery, bags and shoes to an eclectic selection of furniture and homeware.
The popular Manchester thrift store even has its own hairdressers and a cute cafe serving food and coffees. Everything you need for a great day out.
Address: 34-36 Oldham Street, Manchester
Oxfam Originals
Just across the street from Pop Boutique is another of the best thrift stores Manchester has to offer, Oxfam Originals.
Oxfam Originals isn’t your average Oxfam charity shop. Their Manchester thrift shop stocks a curated collection of only the very best donated vintage and designer clothes. You’ll find high-end brands including Fred Perry, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and plenty more.
While the prices may be slightly higher than other Oxfam shops, the store offers fantastic value for money, with lots of unique, signature pieces that you definitely won’t find anywhere else.
Address: Unit 8, Smithfield Buildings, 51 Oldham Street, Manchester
Thrift Shop Manchester
Thrift Shop Manchester is a hidden treasure trove of great vintage items right on the corner of bustling Piccadilly Gardens. Despite being in a different neighbourhood to many of Manchester’s other best thrift stores, it’s certainly worth the detour for a visit.
The store’s vintage clothing offering includes plenty of denim and leather jackets, colourful tees and playful shirts. Items are labelled by colour to indicate the price and any deals, which includes 3 for £10 on many pieces. You’re guaranteed to find a bargain here if you’re thrift shopping in Manchester on a budget.
Thrift Shop is part of the Cow Family, which owns several vintage clothes shops in Manchester including COW (below).
Address: 39 Parker Street, Manchester
COW Vintage
Sister store to Thrift Shop, COW Vintage is a high-end boutique in Manchester with two floors of ethical vintage, upcycled, and handmade clothing. The store has a huge focus on sustainability, so you know that your purchase won’t be harming the environment.
COW specialises in 90s and Y2K clothing, with band tees, halter tops, floral dresses and bomber jackets galore. Make sure you check out their reworked items too, with trendy modern alterations to older vintage pieces that needed some extra love.
Address: 61 Church Street, Manchester
Bags of Flavor
Bags of Flavour is another of the best vintage shops in Manchester. But this time for the guys.
The shop’s unique name comes from owner Richard Gill’s 20+ years of creating one-of-a-kind bags from damaged vintage clothing and fabrics. He started making these bags whilst living in the states, hence the Americanised spelling.
The small retro boutique now also sells a carefully curated and handpicked selection of 70s and 80s men’s clothing, with a focus on sportswear, puffer jackets, and sneakers. The store is known for its unbeatable range of old-school men’s Adidas gear.
Address: 13 Tib Street, Manchester
RSPCA Charity Shop
Last but certainly not least, RSPCA NQ is a boutique charity shop in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. All profits go to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, so it’s a must-visit if you’re an animal lover. The charity thrift shop has some great vintage and retro clothing, as well as bags, books, games, homeware, and more.
Address: 15 Oak Street, Manchester