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...

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.

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!

Fab graphic tee-shirts? Tick Cool design books? Tick…read moreIncredible photography and art books? Tick Huge style bibles? Tick Quirky hand-made badges and zines? Tick Ace cards, stationary and wrapping paper? Tick Thanks to Magma, I was able to buy lots of unique and arty Christmas presents in one go. Wait, I forgot to get something for myself! How about the new Yoshitomo Nara book?

I'm not much of a shopper hence why I've only just become aware of Magma's existence but I will…read moredefinitely be popping back! I was about 3 feet into the shop before I spotted a load of books I would like (guide to house plants, for e.g.!) but sadly I was not gift shopping for myself but my non-book-loving bf so he got an ice ball tray (which he loved).Looks like there's a v impressive magazine selection as well. Definitely a place to stop by if you're looking for a taste of the NQ.

5 years have passed since I was last here.. Unfortunately time has not served this place well…read more Deciding to meet up before an event for some breccy I was not quite prepared for the upcoming events. The decor is still quite homely however the seating is still very close, to a point where my friend could not even sit opposite me due to the narrow gap between the chair and table. Embarrassment set aside I went to grab some menus to find there was none. I was informed by a waitress that I had to read off the wall..so for ease I took several pictures of the menu to enable my friend to browse with ease. The menu was limited, I mean when I think of breccy I imagine eggs to be present at the very least. But no this was eggless, baconless with just options of toast, avocado, and nothing inspiring really..also there were NO PRICES. Walking up to the till I was acknowledged by a grumpy guy. Perhaps he needed a Smile latte. Anyway I ordered a cold brew along with the avocado on toast, paying extra for some additional smoked salmon. After choosing what fresh bread I wanted, he slapped me with a £12 bill.. I was gobsmacked.. Returning to my seat I reassured myself " This is going to be the best avocado on toast ever". So the cold brew arrived with a fresh piece of orange floating in it. It was pleasing to note that the brew making is still top notch. Now the food itself.. this arrived on two pieces of toast, half a pear sliced on each piece with a sliver of smoked salmon. This was dressed with a light mixture of chili and lemon. My friends beans and toast was deconstructed, she had to make it up herself...this was I think £6-8 ...for beans on toast.. I found my victuals tasty enough but could not justify the price, £5.99 would have been more realistic at best. Anyway overall the service was poor, the lack of important details such as no physical menus, napkins, prices, inquiries if the food was okay and lack of logical seating. I might pop in for a coffee to take away but this I doubt.

Was happy to find this place after rather miserably trudging round the Northern Quarter in the rain…read morelooking for somewhere to sit down and have a hot drink. It has a comforting well maintained ambience (even the basement loo!) and the staff are extremely friendly. I really like the broad wooden table in the middle of the coffee area, feels calming and comfortable to sit at! I tried the Marrakesh loose leaf mint tea which was very nice although not as good a fresh mint tea - when I return next I'll try the peppermint instead. They have some lunch in a jar meals which is a fun concept although I'm not sure the actual contents would be that exciting. But it's a nice touch, also like the jugs of water with orange slices and sugar syrup. Shops like this which contain loads of really overpriced unnecessary home items I normally just dismiss as selling tat but for some reason the stuff here entranced me, especially cushions featuring a dog saying "Bonjour" /holding a French flag in its mouth (srsly I don't know why I found this so cute) and a wire basket for £18 which I for some reason felt I really need in my life. My friend felt the same about a set of colourful plastic spoons...I don't what this place does to you but I enjoyed it!

This is your one-stop-shop for all things Chinese, with many years experience in the gift shops…read moreindustry, it is an Aladdin's cave of oriental gifts, arts and crafts. Established in 1986, the business is set in the busy China Town district of Manchester. The business is able to offer top quality gifts, including Buddhas and dragons, Lucky cats, chopsticks, rice bowls, fireworks, Chinese-language romances, tea pots, lanterns.... and so much more besides! perfect for those little stocking fillers at Christmas.

T LA is one of my favourite shops in China Town, It's my last bastion of hope when buying birthday…read morepresents for friends, It's an oriental bric a brac shop, selling hello kitty, jolly buddhas, parasols, chinese music and other colourful and exciting items. The staff are always very friendly and it smells lovely! (but it does!) I think people overlook this area for shopping and head to Market Street, it's a pity!

Cool shop the products are good quality but it's slightly more expensive then it should be would…read morerecommend asian supermarkets for the japanese snacks it's much cheaper

KENJI is a gift store specialising in Japanese style culture and items, they have beverages and…read moreother items associated with Japan, it is a pretty new store to the mall. I was drawn in by a post which claimed they sold hand sanitisers and due to the current situation regarding Coronavirus (CONVID-19) it seems every pharmacy, drug-store or anywhere which would sell hand gels have been sold out however - They were advertising a product they did not sell - They were overpricing them heavily at £2.50 for a small one, which although isn't as bad as merchants on online giants such as eBay it still is around double the price it would be usually, which Boots and Superdrug still charge nearby if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one. The store also is so narrow, they've crammed so much stuff in a small place meaning it's so hard to walk around the store or find a specific product or even stop to look at something, the store did look good but even if the store is quiet, it isn't really made with the customer experience and ease of getting around the store in mind. Looking good and delivering a good customer-experience should go hand in hand, not one or another. Strangely, they had a drink selection with writing in Japanese I struggled to read allergen information and they didn't seem ready to drink they were lukewarm, being in a hot mall location without refrigerating them which is a bad idea. A Japanese themed gift-shop is a really exciting concept and it's a shame this store is more dire than exciting and fails to live up to its' great potential. 1*

Thai Gift Shop is half hair salon half gift shop, the staff are lovely- they sell lucky cats,…read morebuddhas, cheongsam dresses and oriental blouses, make up, jewellery, wood carvings and fans, they also do haistyling, permanent make up and normal make-up. It's in the basement to and not wheelchair accessible.

I have visited this shop on numerous occasions over the years and been happy until today. I bought…read moresome scarfs on Sunday which having worn literally shed the wool over everything that they come into contact with, making them unwearable. The lady behind the counter today, could not have been less interested in my issue, didn't even put her phone down and suggested I wash them and that I am the only person this has happened to... Hardly outstanding customer service. Clearly the advice with this shop is buy with caution, as if the lady in there today is anything to go by, you have no recourse if you are not happy. You've lost a customer today

No 68 is one of those shops you'll never tire of. So called because of its position on Beech road,…read moreit's a difficult shop to categorise. They sell a large range of products including gifts, interiors, bags, accessories, jewellery and novelty items. From the frilly knickers in the window, to novelty mugs, to their large range of costume jewellery, you're sure to find something in here that appeals and will suit your pocket. Check out their range of illustrated journals which are on the right at you enter the shop. There's an emphasis on kitsch and fun items and prices vary from a few quid to a few hundred.

I have to give a major shout out to Paramount Books - a fantastic independent bookstore nestled in…read morethe sometimes overlooked and forgotten Shudehill area of town. Ok so there may be a million KFC ripoff takeaways and a few random shops that have seen better days around it but Paramount stands out as a well looked after 2nd hand book store with loads of character! I was pulled in on a wet and windy Monday by their comic book sale - in fact there's a whole area in the back dedicated to rare comics and graphic novels (fantastic selection) - inside there's a fantastic selection covering everything from music and film to politics, history and philosophy - really good to browse and possible pick up a tome to take home (wow that rhymes...) The best part of this place is the owner who basically is exactly what you'd be looking for if casting this place in a Hollywood movie. With glasses dangling from his neck and a scholarly look as he sorts the shelves - the classical music in the background makes you really feel what a unique place this is in the world of chain stores and amazon. Make sure you check out Paramount soon and enjoy a slip back into yesteryear!

Thank the lord for Paramount Book Exchange…read more One of the few independent bookshops left in Manchester, it's a strictly DIY affair run by a genuine book lover. The sign outside suggests it's only open Fridays and Saturdays but it's usually open Monday to Saturday unless the owner has popped out for something. The lively window displays give a great indicator of what's in store with stacks of new, vintage and secondhand books everywhere. Fans of cult fiction, sci-fi, horror, crime noir, queer fiction, biographies and pop culture will find much to treasure here as the stock leans more towards William Burroughs, Poppy Z Brite and Neil Gaiman than Harry Potter. There's also a small selection of 60s-90s vinyl for crate diggers. All they need is a coffee machine and I'd happily move in!