Incredible art store. I was blown away by how well stocked the store is. I loved the top floor with cool 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 read more

Incredible place, but dangerous at the same time as you could easily spend a lot of money in here! 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! read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

See all

Being in what seems like an ignorant NQ bubble I have failed to explore the area in last year I have lived and breathed Manchester shops. Eventually I came across this gem in recommendation from a friend! An arty crafty gift shop great for presents and the more creative souls out there! I know what you are going to say - your organised! Yes I have bought more Christmas presents but technically it is November now? This included a rubber band old school plane to assemble yourself - (my dad loves to think he can do DIY) so this is the best way to channel his energy to ensure nothing in the house gets broken! Festive family breakdown = avoided! The next present was for my arty crafty Aunt who will be making her own poker dot underwear this Christmas complete with everything you need to make your own knick-knacks - fantastic or what?! Love everything about this quirky store! read more

Fred Aldous - Love it!! - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

See all

Based on the outskirts of the Northern Quarter, Fred Aldous is a mammoth arts and crafts store that has been inspiring and supplying local artists with materials for decades. A true Manchester institution, the shop is spread over two floors and currently has an eye-catching window display featuring paper figures and canvases from graphic artist Chris Drury. The ground floor stocks different size canvases, paper, portfolios, postal tubes and sketch books whilst the basement is devoted to hundreds of different artists' tools and accessories from brushes, pencils, pens and oils to clay, felt, beads and craft materials. I'd buy more from there myself but jeez, some of the stock is pricey. Handily, Fred Aldous also sell DIY card kits - which encourage you to create your own Christmas / Easter / Valentine's Day card. Whether or not the latter will help you secure your current crush depends on what you write inside!! read more

See all

If you are a lover of art, craft, paper, paints or anything creative then this my dear is the place for you! I completely forgot how much I loved painting and playing with ribbons, sparkles back in my high school days till I visited this place recently! They have a massive collection (I mean massive) spread over three floors of all these amazing wonders. I was there a few days back to get a foam-board and some paint for one of my projects and landed up spending more than half an hour just browsing through the store! The staff are very friendly and always more than happy to find things for you if you are struggling (which is quite likely because of the sheer size of the store). It is located right in the center of Stevenson Square in Northern Quarter and has a very non pretentious store front (very subtle and minimalistic). The price was a bit on the higher range, as in more than the student union shop but I guess its worth it because of the location and quality of the things they have. Verdict: Oh I am definitely paying many more visits and might just start a new hobby - This store has inspired me! read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

See all

3 floors of arts & crafts heaven. I was looking for card to print out wedding invites on and this shop was suggested as a good place to look. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the outside, with 3 floors including a lower basement that you might not spot unless you go looking for it. They have everything you could possibly want including a vintage photo booth! I was tempted by stamp and ink sets, gorgeous wools, photo frames, cards and stickers. It's not the cheapest option but you will have plenty of choice and definitely find what you need. I could have bought pre folded blank cards to print our invites on, handmade envelopes for them made from recycled paper, vintage style hearts to write invites on and so much more! The staff were helpful and friendly so my trip was a great experience overall. read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

The Narnia of artistic rescources. Unassumingly sat on an unassuming corner of unassuming Lever street I'd actually always just assumed this place was a once was that had long closed down- such is its unassuming appearence. But as we know in Manchester, appearances are always decieving- dark doors in dark alleyways turn out to be entrances to pretty drinking dens, the Northern Quarter never ends up as good a night out as it promises to be and the hobo with the hi-tops turns out to be the owner of a rather successful graphic design company. Taking a trip down the portal-like staircase at the back end of Fred Aldous leads you to a world of creative riches with parquet under foot and wonderous lovliness all around. Never a natural coloured hair in site, this is the best underground bunker with pencils I've ever seen- and I've seen the all. read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

A born and bred Manchester company, Fred Aldous on Lever St should be your first stop for art supplies. It originated as a handcart in the late 1880s, what a start. Their selection is extensive, the staff knowledgeable and all the art students I know swear by it. In addition to the usual staple art materials- paints, brushes, storage cases, canvases, art paper, pastels, charcoals - they also stock tools and materials for other crafts. Jewellery, interiors, flowers, working with leather and metal, needlework. You name it - Fred Aldous can not only inspire you - to start a hobby or pursue some neglected passion - but also provide you with everything you need. One thing that I'll be doing to channel the current mood of Make Do and Mend (have you seen the mugs) is repairing all my old necklaces and bracelets or mixing and matching all the beads at the bottom of my jewellery box to try and end up with a Lanvin-like statement. If only they could improve my drawing skills too so that my sister (who is now in art school) doesn't shriek WHAT'S THAT? read more

Fred Aldous - Website Photo - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

See all

What I love about Fred Aldous art shop is that it's devoid of the haughtiness of more traditional art shops. You know, the deeply reserved, hushed atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in a watercolour painting yourself. Fred Aldous is a welcoming and friendly two-floors jam packed with all the art materials you could ever need or want. Paper to stickers, pencils to paints and hundreds of other items I don't even understand, this shop is surely a mecca to Manchester artists. Make sure you check out the cabinets upstairs where Fred Aldous display their great range of kitsch cameras. They have fish eye cameras and many others, as well as the great Diana camera, which my friend has been using recently to amazing effect. Anyone want a mini canvas? One that's literally a couple of centimetres squared? I do. And they have them at Fred Aldous. Great service, great shop. Great. read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

An excellent Aladdin's cave of art and craft supplies, tools, and media! Anything you can possibly want or need as an artist or a hobby craftist you can find here, even things for costume making and office goods. They even have a couple of vintage photo booths for old-school photos, even if you're not a hipster! They also have classrooms and studios in the lower part of the building, which can be hired or used with arrangement of the business. It may not be the cheapest shop out there, but it has a gigantic range, and it's very good quality. read more

Fred Aldous - Outside - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

A royal gem of an Arts and Crafts emporium. Fred Aldous is one of the largest supplies of arts and crafts supplies in Manchester. I've always found a reason to pop in here if I'm in the area whether it's just for a few pens and pencils; a huge bag of polystyrene balls; or a selection of art paper. We usually take a trip here to pick up arts and crafts for the children and there's hardly anything you cannot get hold of here. I had a small project for a camera of mine (constructing a matte box) and found everything I needed to build on here. Press studs, rivets, fastener and the tools to facilitate this construction were all here (guided by the very helpful staff). A 5 min nip in here turned into an hour it's a Willy Wonka emporium for satiating your artistic desires. I haven't enough space here to list just how varied and large their stock is, but hobbies such as: metalwork; needlework; flower making; lampshade making (another of my 'to do' lists this year is to make my own lampshade!); stamping; textiles.and so on. The large, basement store itself is a visual treat think 'Are you being Served' crossed with 'New York Artist Pad' and you're about there. An echo to the past when the Northern Quarter was the epicentre for Manchester shopping. This section of the city (despite creeping gentrification and regeneration) still recalls that era of shopping material shops/sowing machine shops in huge Victorian warehouses, but I guess their time is running out. Hopefully though, Fred Aldous will remain as and where it is. read more

Fred Aldous - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I wish I had a shop like Fred Aldous near me when I was a kid. I can only imagine how much money I would have spent on do-it-yourself hobby kits and pots of paints. It's an artists dream. The shop, spread over three floors, is guaranteed to ignite your creative flame with everything you'd ever need to make a masterpiece - from canvas to crayons. They've also got a superb selction of cool, unique gifts upstairs from the likes of Luckies, Suck UK and World Wide. You will not leave disappointed. Or empty handed! read more

I would have loved to have a place like this near me when I was a kid. You enter on street level to a decent sized arts and craft shop with a mixture of gifts, art supplies and a brilliant selection of greeting cards. They also have a couple of retro photo booths, photos from which have been blown up and used to decorate the store. But the real magic begins when you go downstairs. The next floor down is much, much bigger with aisle after aisle of art supplies for everything from knitting to model making. From street level, you'd never guess the size of this place. As if that wasn't enough, there's yet another floor further down stocked with frames and paper. Down here the amazing thing is the space they have to rent out - for example, you can rent time using their laser cutter, or in their special shadow free photo studio. TL;DR - A TARDIS like gem with every kind of art supply you could possible need. read more

Wow - this place was a surprise in terms of size, variety of products and general awesomeness! An art shop that has supposedly been there for 1886, it basically takes over an entire part of Stevenson square and if you haven't been before then I'd highly recommend going down a level - and then another level into the cavernous warehouse - holy guacamole this place is huge! Pretty much everyone who I came across while popping in to buy some art supplies was super friendly and efficient, pretty much knowing where each bit of stock was and where I should find it. I also found their prices pretty good value and the range fairly impressive which made me see how they'd stood the test of time! Overall if I need some more art supplies and general stationery then I'll definitely be popping back in the future! read more

The main thing you need to know is that the Fred Aldous store is *way* bigger than what you can see from the street, with a cavernous basement - large enough to house an Anish Kapoor installation - filled with art and craft goodies. Downstairs is a bit less cutesy, but all the necessaries for a wide range of art & crafts would appear to be there. If you are a newbie, I suggest going straight to the till for directions from a hip and helpful staff member as the aisles are not signposted or anything. Art and crafts is not my field, but I walked out with the 50cm steel rule that I was looking for - 'Made in Germany', and it looked it. I also had a random query about how to ice a gingerbread man. The salesgirl was full of helpful and well-informed suggestions, several of which bore no relation to my buying stuff from Fred Aldous. She advised against using a paintbrush, as hairs might fall off the brush onto the food; Tesco apparently sell a set of tubes of coloured icing ready to apply. Lastly, I asked for her recommendation for vegetarian food near Fred Aldous - a falafel burger at Common was her suggestion - sweet, I almost invited her along! From my one visit, the vibe here is very approachable and about 'making things' rather than talking in tones of hushed reverence about long-dead grandmasters and how to emulate them - although they do have plenty of brushes and paints if that is your niche. Every art & craft project can benefit from 'how to' advice - what tools and materials you need and how to use them - and a bit of know-how from someone savvy at the point of sale can go a long way. And feeling at ease enough to ask those questions. Ask Fred. Fred is your friend. Fred listens. Fred knows. Fred has made one of those before. Note: even if you're not shopping for art stuff, the window displays here are worth a look in their own right for the virtuoso and extremely funky craft creations, and they keep refreshing the display. read more

Snowy, dreary Manchester. Do I want to go shopping amongst the crowds? Do I want to go the cinema alone? Or do I want to go to Fred Aldous and take a course on decoupage jewellery? I'll go for the latter thank you. This jewellery course was a present for my last birthday from my mumma, probably in an attempt to make me even half as crafty as she is, and I was initially reluctant (read terrified) when I woke up this morning and realised that I am quite uncrafty, probably due to unresolved issues with my GCSE textiles teacher, but that's a different story altogether. Walking into Fred Aldous it was quite empty upstairs and, although I knew-ish where I was going downstairs, I asked a member of staff who was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction to the Ministry of Craft; down the red stairs and to the end of the room, past hireable studios and more professional looking items for purchase. The reception space for Ministry of Craft is a crafters paradise and you're basically guaranteed to walk away signed up to another class - they have everything, from conquering your sewing machine to sewing your own knickers! After grabbing a cup of tea I was pointed in the direction of the first classroom and introduced to the class tutor, Sam. We all got stuck right in, directed at all turns but also allowed to let our own imaginations set free. Although she had examples out and advised us what were the 'easy' materials to use, she encouraged us to do our own thing and really consider what we would want to wear. I've come away with a leopard print pendant, a floral bangle, a brooch that may or may not be heading my mumma's way as a thank you gift, AND a pendant to take home and use for decoupage in the future. Sam explained that we got the choice of taking a pendant or brooch home because they had received the wrong size bangle and pricing didn't work out, but it would be a nice addition to any future classes. Four stars for Freddy boy but the extra star for the Ministry of Craft. read more

Fred Aldous - decoupage (2013) - Art Supplies Near Me - Manchester, XGM

See all

Whether you're painting a masterpiece or doing cack-handed paper crafts, Fred Aldous is the place for you. Here you can pick up everything you need. I have never been good at art. I can barely draw a straight line with a ruler, so asking me to paint was never great. Though I still maintain that at school I made a discovery; no matter how carefully you mix your colours, you will always, ALWAYS end up with brown. Even if you're going for lilac. You'll end up with brown and then you'll cry. So, as it goes, I am not a big fan of painting. However, the paint section in Fred Aldous is truly lovely. All the jewel-bright tubes of acrylics and oils, next to the tiny paper-wrapped little slabs of watercolours, sitting next to fine-bristled paintbrushes with wooden handles. It makes me feel all warm inside, like Brideshead. The other craft materials are varied in price and 'level' so that the most rank amateur will not end up paying too much for something that will only end up in the bin. That's one thing about Fred Aldous; the prices are reasonable to a fault. One thing to look out for is the fabulous special offers here. The canvasses are often on BOGOFs, and you can almost always pick up crafting paper for knock-down prices if you come after a holiday such as Christmas or Easter. read more

Fred Aldous is THE place to go in Manchester if you have any form of art project It is open and spacious. The ground floor is mainly art supplies such as canvasses, paint and brushes, and the basement is jewellery making supplies, children's crafts, clay, paper, card and the like. Simply walking around this place fills your mind with fantastic ideas, and you will probably end up buying more than you came in for! You can also buy from the well stocked website, and the delivery service is fast, in most cases my order arrives in 24 hours. The staff are very knowledgeable and extremely helpfull. read more

Fred Aldous is 125 years old. Holy cow, that is old for a shop selling sticky things, pretty paper and different shaped sparkly things. For all your arts, crafts, design material needs, Fred delivers. I never knew things like these existed. I was sent here on a errand to buy foam board of a certain size, colour and some other sticky things. The staff here were so helpful as I really didn't have a clue. With 25,000 different items, the two floor store is brimming of creativity. I was inspired to get all art attack. Candle making, metal work, leather work and plain old painting. What can't you get from Fred? read more

From art galleries to that which makes it all possible - art supplies. I might not be a painter, sketcher or sculptor myself but having grown up with a brother who took art at university and a father who scrawled pictures for me regularly (one of which became a tattoo of mine, bonus fact for you there) I have many times been led through art stores in my life. Whether you're a photographer, a glass blower, a straightforward drawer or even just engage in home crafts from time to time, you'll be spoilt for choice at Fred Aldous. The staff are friendly and you won't instantly feel like you don't belong if you haven't got a goatee or don't know the date of Salvador Dali's death. It's a trick question, it's something to do with when he stopped being good apparently. Tut, these artists. Anyway even if art is as unfamiliar to you as a cat that wears suspender braces and can recite all fifty American states, it's still worth going in there for unusual gift ideas. Building and origami kits will satisfy the most curious and prematurely intelligent of child; sewing boxes are fantastic even as decorative items . Add unusual laser cut mirrors and a bunch of cards and giftwrap and you're onto a winner. read more

This place is lethal if you've just been paid....or even if you haven't! A crafter's paradise, anything and everything under one roof with very helpful and accomodating staff. I used to be wary about coming here as my thoughts were always that it would be expensive due to it being in Manchester but I've been pleasantly surprised; very reasonable and competitive prices. There's also the added bonus of Ministry of Craft basing workshops within the premises which can help you with a new skill or get tips on an old one; these workshops do need to be booked in advance. read more

Fred Aldous is a treasure chest for crafters. Walk down the ominous stairs and inside is rows and rows of buttons, embroidery supplies, sewing materials, paints, brushes, fabric, pom poms, stencils, glue, beads etc. The list is endless and it can take a while to find what you need. They also run workshops to learn a new skill, so these are worth checking out of you want to personalise your cards and gifts for people! Also check out their online site for purchasing, if you cannot face the looking thorough all the items! read more

What a fabulous store! For the crafter everything is here! The store is on two levels and very nicely laid out. When you come into Aldous hold on to your wallet because you will want to buy everything! read more

A place for all your art needs. A shop that is a danger on pay days to people who like to stock up on all of those little things you don't need and for people who do need things too. I like that every type of craft is covered here pretty much, plus you can pop in for gift ideas on the top floor. A shop that caters to all my needs. read more

Cavernous arts & crafts store. Great way to kill an hour or two exploring everything they have. I was there recently for a Ministry Of Craft sewing class - making PJ pants. The teacher was excellent, very patient & obviously very well experienced with the machines. Looking forward to going back for more classes! read more

Fred Aldous is perhaps the best art shop in Manchester. It stocks everything from origami paper to clay cutters and everything in between. There is a great selection of materials in the form of paints, dyes, papers, fabrics, pencils, sketch pads, canvasses, thread, wool and glues as well as tools such as brushes, needles, knives, scissors, nibs and templates. The staff are really helpful and can find any peculiar item you might ask for in a jiffy. Anything they don't stock they will consider ordering in or will guide you to a supplier direct. They have great sales where you can pick up stock in bulk and find odd items you never knew you needed but can't live without. Fred Aldous also has a fantastic website where you can order and reserve stock online, and there is a great next-day delivery service if you can't make it into the shop itself. read more

Can't really add anything to the other reviews other than, if you go to their website, you can order a free catalogue if you live elsewhere. Cheaper by far than Hobbycraft and obscure things here like cane for basket making and leather skins etc. Enamelling kiln and equipment, jewellery findings and absolutely everything for making soft toys. read more

Great habadashery and art shop in the northern quarter, recently added a bit upstairs so the layout is a bit less crammed down in the basement, there's something for every craft imaginable! And the staff are very helpful too. read more

Fred Aldous is an arts and crafts shop on Lever Street in Manchester. It is open and spacious, and houses everything for the arty-crafty type. I buy a lot of my jewellery making supplies from here as I find them to be excellent quality and value. The ground floor is mainly art supplies such as canvasses, paint and brushes, and the basement is jewellery making supplies, children's crafts, clay, paper, card and the like. The staff are very helpful and pleasant. The shop is well laid out and spacious, and they always have plenty of stock. read more

Institution. Plus the Art Surgery have moved in, doing canvases and frames etc. A great addition.

Fred Aldous is a gem of a discovery. Walking down from street level you pass lines of posters and flyers advertising various events in the area, but once on the shop floor you notice a wide open space and everything imaginable for artistic pursuits lines the walls. If you like 'making stuff' as i put i, you'll get lost in a world of stencils, embroidery silks, paints, artist supplies and much much more. And i did get lost, and want to buy the whole shop. I always pop in for a little inspiration. Prices aren't as high as you'd think either.. read more

Having searched fruitlessly for some time I found Fred Aldous. They had exactly what I wanted to reseat the stool I made over 50 years ago. I recommend them as the first stop for anyone looking for anything remotely Arts and Crafts at an extremely reasonable price. I have ordered after 4.30pm and still had it delivered next day. Their delivery service could not be bettered. read more

I am delighted with the speedy delivery service. I ordered a kit at 10am with ordinary delivery, and it arrived at 9.10 the next morning! Fantastic - couldn't ask for better. If there's a gizmo I need I always check here first to see if it even exists because it's probably already here. This is a really useful site for a whole variety of crafts. Keep up the great work! read more

I discovered this treasure cove in 2001 when I lived in Manchester. Buried in the basement you could get your hands on several unique items for your arts and crafts. The card making classes there used to be one of the best too. Since moving away, I still have only good to say about this shop. I still visit the shop when we visit the city but most of my shopping for items I am so used to getting from them is done by phone call. My boxes soon arrive shortly afterwards. The quality of their card too is one of the best and they offer a wide range of items at very low prices. I highly recommend Fred Aldous and their neighbour just around the corner - Abhakhan Fabrics who also do craft items. read more

Pleasant and friendly, has always had everything I've needed. Very quick delivery for items ordered online too.

Found Fred Aldous through Google when I was looking for some lampshade making kit. What a selection! Spent ages browsing their site - making plans for my future projects. Ordered lunchtime on a Friday, and the goods arrived Saturday morning. Cannot be faulted. Have already made another order, and will definately be making more. read more

Fantasic fast delivery, excellent quality and well-wrapped. Website and registering very easy to use. I did have one problem with finding one product, but was quickly solved by their very professional and speedy customer service department. Found a lot of products that were not available elsewhere, particularly coloured matchsticks which I have never found anywhere else. Would highly rate them compared to other on-line stores for the price and there customer service which is second to none. read more

Fred Aldous is my go-to place when I need something in a hurry. I've never had a delivery take more than 36 hours, the quality and service is impeccable and they usually have things in stock that you can normally only buy off the shelf in London. Took me months to find Golden Mediums online until someone suggested Fred's. read more

Their mail-order service is the best I know for speed and efficiency, and I like supporting a long established family business.

One of my favourite shops to go to when I visit Manchester. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and could even help me find the right product even from my vague description. The basement is like an Aladdin's cave full of craft supplies and I always end up spending more time than I should browsing their stuff! read more