HomeSense is a chain of discount home furnishing stores, it is owned by TK Maxx, who also has a…read morestore next to this one in the Manchester Arndale. like TK Maxx the branding/styling of the name is different on this side of the Atlantic. The store is large and has a good selection of bits and bobs, from pillows to appliances, from ice cube trays and cheese-graters. Considering, they're supposed to be a "discount" chain, I did find some prices to be a little high, if you're lucky you'll find a high-quality item with a good discount/offer though, so it's kind of like a TKMaxx jumble sale but replacing the clothes with home items. The staff seemed friendly and happy to help me find what I was looking for, and the experience at the checkout was smooth. This is a fairly good store, obviously, some deals are better than others, but probably the best selection of home furnishing in the Manchester Arndale, with a fairly presentable store and helpful staff. 4*

I'm kind of in love with this shop. It's dreamy! The window displays are whimsical and they're sure…read moreto draw you in every time. The seasonal produce is brilliant, both food items and general home ware. They've got the Christmas stock in at the moment and it's absolutely gorgeous, snow globes and crockery, bath products and food. You name it :) I had to drag myself out of the shop before I spent my entire pay check. I love that you can get top quality, one off items here are a very decent price. The staff are always helpful and the store is clean and well presented. They also have a pretty good reduced to clear range. If you're in to DIY like me you can pick up something that's a little damaged for a ridiculous price and fix it up at home. I've saved so much doing this. I also find this shop to be ideal for gift shopping as they stock such a wide range of products, the packaging tends to be beautiful and I can pick up items here that I wouldn't normally see in other shops.

Great spot for shopping. Lots of treasures. We loved all of the different businesses in building…read moreacross 4 floors.

Back in the days of Madchester, Afflecks Palace was the place to go to get cool flares, psychadelic…read moreshirts, sunhats and all the right threads. Rumour has it Urban Splash founder Tom Bloxham even had a stall here selling bootleg Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays tees. These days, Afflecks is a bit of a ghost town. There are still dozens of stalls selling everything from vintage and secondhand clothes to military wear, drugs paraphanelia, henna tattoos, wind-chimes and furniture. Sadly, there aren't as many old goths, rockers, emo teens and ageing punks as there used to be and you can sometimes walk round the whole building without seeing anyone other than the staff!

So there I was, wandering round the Northern Quarter looking for something new, and POOF it…read moreappeared! In a shadowy doorway near Leo's gross Fish Bar, is a little staircase, lined with cool music posters and a couple of outfits on hangers. To be honest, I didn't hold out much hope as I descended the stairs. The sign above the door isn't the best (though it gets kudos for being simple) and, let's face it, vintage shops are ten-a-penny nowadays, and Manchester's NQ selection is already so good, it'd be hard to live up to that. But, I am glad to report, Bratt's does it admirably. Located in a cellar, basically, Bratt's takes advantage of the exposed brick work and low ceilings, and the arched alcoves in the wall are used as features; one of them houses much of the homewares selection (more on that later) and the other has been curtained off as a fitting room, which is almost too cool for words. It's the best fitting room I've seen since Rags to Bitches' silky tent. In terms of stock, Bratt's has really got it. Endless racks of good quality, well-cared-for vintage merchandise line the tardis-like cellar, organised, by style and material. So you'll find all the cricket jumpers together, offset by a great collection of retro trackie-tops and a bunch of good-looking furs (faux, or no? I dunno.) There's a multitude of jolly good womenswear, from all eras and epochs, and a seriously decent selection of knitwear. There's also a fantastic array of upcycled dresses and skirts by Love Me Again. I love upcycling, and you should too! The homewares, though mainly concentrated in one area, are scattered round the shelves. The awesomeness is too much to list, and I'm sure it's changed since last week, but expect to see vintage telephones, Atari consoles, the odd coffee table and some very nice mirrors. The perfect addition to any bijous dwelling, and the sort of thing I yearn for, but cannot have, in my modernist gaff. Sigh. Anyway, if you've got a kitsch aesthetic going on, you could do a lot worse than to pop to Bratt's for a vintage milk jug. (£3!) Not only is the stock great, the people here are fab too. The manager was more than happy to have a wee chat about the place, and told me that originally he'd planned to open a bar there. Thank God he didn't; this vintage shop is far too good to miss out on. As well as Mr Bratt (j'assume) there's a lovely female shop assistant who wafted around being the epitome of vintaahhhge styyyyle, dahhhhling, making it look totally effortless. She's hard to hate, though, because she's so damn lovely. Considering the instant awesomeness of Bratt's, only two weeks after opening, I think this place is one that will go quickly from hidden gem to firm fave, and rightly so.

What a really cool vintage addition. Downstairs you go and explore and be fascinated and prepared…read moreto shell out on some very amazing pieces. Fancy a batman mobile telephone? A very old sewing machine? Listening to Rock FM and admiring the brickwork, the poster work and breathing in that vintage smell? Get yourself down to Bratts. Brilliance.

Much less incognito now it has a cafe set up out front…read more Coffee strong and nice, served with ice water and a slice of lemon, nice twist, if you will. I'm loving the new trend of serving coffee with water in hot weather. Nice atmosphere and probably more for groups than a solo act tbh, can't moan though, lovely blend, will try a crepe or a quesadilla when I have not been filled by a home sweet home breakfast another day. The outdoor seating, although on Stevensons square is absolutely fine as it feels set back Enough from the street as to not feel congested... Also, the little vanilla biscuit spoon is a lovely touch. Will be back!

Incognito is exactly that; the number of times I have walked past and totally forgotten about its…read moreexistence is to be frank quite ridiculous. Once you step inside, you're a treasure trove the likes of Fred Aldous but with more focus on the gadgets and home decor than arts and crafts. Goodies here range from the practical - cards, retro rotary phones, beautifully decorated jewellery boxes - to the slightly silly - otter patterned tin, briefcase shaped cheese grater, skull light. (Who am I kidding, the cheese grater is amazing.) If you're struggling to find something for the person who has everything, this is a great place to start.

cath kidstone is one of those shops is one of those modern vintage shops which sells almost…read moreeverything : from bathroom accessories to kids' knitting : everything is colourful . If you're looking for a place to make a present or add colours to you home , you found the right place! The three storey shop is cosy , we feel like at home !

Incredible art store. I was blown away by how well stocked the store is. I loved the top floor with…read morecool crafts and unique art gifts to purchase. The second floor had every art supplies I could dream of, and the bottom floor was an amazing selection of paper and canvas. Truly a great art store for all

Incredible place, but dangerous at the same time as you could easily spend a lot of money in here!…read more The first time I popped in was when I needed a few items for an event and I thought I'd gamble on Fred Aldous having the stuff I needed - they did! Anything you need for arts & craft or decorations they have it and with some good choice! I've now been in a few times when I need to pick up bits and bobs or essentials for work i.e. scissors etc. Loads of interesting present and gift ideas in here as well so if you're out and about birthday shopping or it's coming up to christmas - I'd say Fred Aldous is a great option with some similar style stuff to Oklahoma! Most of the stuff here is well priced and I've always been fairly surprised that my total wasn't higher when purchasing as I think the interior and style gives off an expensive vibe but really it's good value for money! A short simple review for a top NQ shop!

It's surprising how much the right lighting can transform a room. I first saw Jane Blease's…read moreinnovative lighting at Design Show Liverpool. Her work is distinctive, combining simple, clean lines with intricate patterns. Sustainability is at the core of Jane's work. She minimises waste through careful packaging and the imaginative use of materials. Some of her latest designs are made from the recycled plastics of yoghurt pots and CDs. If you're looking to update your home or office and are sick of the same old identikit furnishings, then this could be for you. Based at the Craft and Design Centre, Jane offers a range of lamps, light shades, wall lights and my own personal favourites - table lights.

Ever wanted a frying pan that makes heart-shaped eggs? How…read moreabout a grill that makes toast with religious figures engraved on? Or a polka dot suitcase with a smaller polka dot case inside? In short, Oklahoma's Gift shop is a living and breathing homage to the art of Kitsch ahd Colourful accessories. There's big items like lampshades and clocks hanging from the walls and ceiling, wallpapers and posters behind the main counter and dozens of shelves and tables stacked high with all kinds of weird and wonderful nonsense. One of my favourite items is the old American Popcorn Machine filled with jewellery and the desk overflowing with stationary, plastic moustaches and candy cigarettes.

I have wanted to go to Oklahoma for at least a year now and just never got around to it! Eventually…read moretoday was the day...and I was not disappointed at all! This quirky and cutesy store was everything I dreamed of! I couldn't wait to let my purse loose and I was didn't leave empty handed! This place is great for knick knacks, xmas presents and homely decor for those (like me) that are obsessed with kitchenware, signs and much much more! I was careful and only bought a little Christmas tree decoration (part of a family tradition) I buy my Mum one each year and this winter it will be an addition of a cute glass bottle with a wish and fairy (glitter) floating around inside! Picture to follow...

HUGE URBAN!! This location is huge!! Right in the hustle and bustle of the Manchester market. There…read moreare several floors to this location. There is a lift but I did not take it. Just like other Urbana, they have womens, men, children, vintage, home, and general accessories. There's something for just about anyone truthfully. I was able to find an amazing vintage piece from here. It is hard to find an employee since there are quite a bit of shoppers you sometimes can't tell whom is who. If you are looking for a cool, and unoriginal gift for someone you could definitely find it here! Just know the items do come with some punch to their prices....but if you are on a budget, they do have a decent clearance section to check out. All in all once again, this is a decent Urban Outfitters and worth a stop in.

One of two Urban Outfitters locations in North-West England alongside a branch in Liverpool which I…read morevisited a couple of days ago, this Manchester store is located opposite the Tesco Metro next to the Arndale Centre on Market Street and is a fairly large store over multiple floors, although much to my confusion the floor marked "3" on the lift is a staff floor and they really do need to make the lift clearer, as even the "downwards" button doesn't work. The store is pretty large, which is why I'm slightly puzzled at them putting stands all over the place, meaning you have to walk virtually in zig-zags, but despite this, the store does have a pretty decent feel to it and it is, of course, cleaner than the Liverpool branch, although I would say the selection of brands is worse and the store feels more crammed rather than the Liverpool store which is more spacious. The staff did seem pretty friendly, however, the checkout area was quite messy with a huge rack of clothes blocking the checkout which made it look inactive when it wasn't. They did have a small but nice selection in their ongoing up to 75% off sale, where I picked up some nice fingerless gloves for £2, they aren't decent quality but on a cold day in February, they still did the job and for the price, it isn't too bad at all. Pretty decent store, although it is a little too cramped at parts and they do need to work on making the store easier to follow rather than causing confusion, especially in the lift. 3*