Aww, poor Stretford Mall. It's not a place for high street fashion but if you're in need of some…read moreessentials or some tat, you've come to the right place! And you'll be surprised by how little money you spend (partly cos it's mostly bargain shops and partly due to lack of good shops). It has charity shops - the best one here being British Heart Foundation who are happy to take donated stuff and has a high turnover of preloved clothing. My favourite shop here though, is Quality Save. It's a nice spacious one with cheerful staff and constantly updated stock, perfect fit browsing before hitting the new Pure Gym that opened in spring this year. There are the essentials - a Superdrug, Boots, WHSmiths (which house the Post Office), Specsavers, Tescos, Holland and Barrett, Iceland, and Greggs - yes, the newly redecorated cafe-style Greggs! If you live in the area and don't know how to drive, I'd recommend a visit the mall. It's slowly changing - new cheap chains are opening there - a Pep and Co this year, Aldi next Spring, and a slowly updating market hall with lots of room and potential to house some pop ups. It gets three stars for now, four when Aldi opens and five when they push the closing time to 7pm or even 6:30pm. I have hope.

My fellow Yelper Sarah Anne has summed this place up perfectly. I do feel a tad disloyal speaking…read morebadly of Stretford Mall because I have been coming here for years so in order for me to put my Yelping family in the picture, I must describe its glory days to demonstrate its decline. This precinct used to be a bustling shopping mecca for the people of South Manchester. The market was packed full of bargain stalls and every teenage girl would flock there for their next outfit. There was a busy McDonalds, a great cut price sports shop and the Post Office which is now a dying breed, was an important factor for Stretford folk. No Arndale centre is complete without the obligatory Ethel Austin and Au Naturel and although Stretford Mall had its fair share of young mums pushing prams of toddlers eating meat and potato pasties, the general vibe was one of office workers on their lunch breaks, pensioners on their days out and regular people rushing around Tesco to do their weekly shop. Move forward five years and the Credit Crunch has decimated this place. McDonalds jumped ship, Woolworths met its untimely end- R.I.P Pick n' Mix- and the Post Office was obliterated, ending up in the less salubrious W.H.Smiths where queues are endless. Dorothy Perkins has run away with Au Naturel, Sommerfield became Quality Save and the market is a ghost town. Quite sad really and for those without a car, it is a real loss. It is now an underprivileged abandoned town of closed units and empty parking spaces and it is only a matter of time before I can see the whole place shutting and being turned into the biggest Primark in the world. Stretford Mall can change its name but it cannot change its fate and I would not go there unless I absolutely had to.

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 started shopping here for my "weekly" shop. I used to go to Sainsburys but the Nectars…read morepoints deal changed. They halved the number of points you would get for amount you spend. I was also thinking of changing as I think Tesco is overall cheaper. One other reason I now go to Tesco is this one has one of those Self scan things - called Scan as you Go. Basically you get your a scanner which you use as you go round the store, scanning barcodes. The idea is to make things quicker. I use it because its a gadget! But it is quicker as packing bag at same time and the Scan as you go queue tends to be much quieter. This store has a lot of the Tesco facilities like Click+Collect, Petrol, Pharmacy, Wifi and clothing.Its also got a wide range of food such as Polish, Halal, and Afro Caribbean. But at the end of the day, its a supermarket!

ok choice however design is awkward as can take 5 minutes just to get into from the outside pavementread more

This shop has been around in Chorlton for 13 years now, it sell some interesting and different…read morelabels, most from up and coming new designers and quirky European labels like labels like Ruutsoo. The shop sells clothes for both men and women with most of the pieces being a one off.... so if you like something well enough to pay the rather inflated price, the likely hood is that you will be the only person in Manchester wearing it! The shop is fairly small, but the wide range of stock is neatly placed on east access rails. The only downside is the staff sometimes seem to have been a little distracted when I popped in, I don't know if this is because I am not head-to-toe in designer gear, but I get the feeling it is!

Lovely fashion shop in Chorlton. Great range of small labels. They even sell clothes from the…read moreSwedish Bohemia label! I spent some hours there going through the pieces,nice collection of shoes as well.

I absolutely love this place. As a vegetarian and lover of healthy and organic foods I was in my…read moreelement. When you first get in there is an abundance of brightly coloured vegetables and potatoes and carrots that are still dirty (always a good sign). I knew I was in my kind of place straight away. I love that they try to keep packaging to a minimum, using paper bags for the fresh vegetables. There is a huge range of vegetarian products (more tofu than you could ever need...if that's even a thing), seitan and tempeh in all different forms. I love how their dried foods are all packaged in simple bags with their label on....gotta love no fuss packaging. There is also a deli counter ranging from olives, onion bhajis and daals. I tried an onion bhaji and it was amazing. Although pricier than most supermarkets, I thought the prices were reasonable (being used to Wholefoods etc. in London) for organic, fresh produce and I love that it is a co-operative. I would definitely rather pay more for local produce that isn't mass-produced. I will definitely be shopping here regularly.

Amazed by this place…read more I haven't seen anywhere like it since my travels to Portland. It has a real community atmosphere. Everyone involved, from the growers to the staff to the people shopping, care and it really shows. It's honest. It's exactly where you want to buy your vegetables. There's soil on the fresh produce. Actual soil. No cellophane, no unnecessary packaging, no nonsense - just tasty, local food. The shelves are clearly labelled and well stocked with interesting offerings. They have your staples - potatoes, all the usual veg, cereals, spices, fruits as well as some more unusual choices when/if it's in season. Prices are reasonable and when you pay you feel like you're contributing - something you never experience in a chain supermarket. There's a play area for kids and free apples to keep them occupied - with a little compost bin for the cores. A big green thumbs up.

Marks and Spencer on Chester Road is a "Food Hall" location, located in White City Retail Park,…read moreclose to Old Trafford Football Stadium. On the Marks and Spencer website, this is listed as their "Stretford Food Hall" location, likely to avoid confusion with their store at Westfield London which is also known as White City. I came here looking to grab a few specific items and was able to find two of the three items that I was looking for. The store was well staffed including staff members on the shop floor who seemed helpful; I originally had to ask a staff member to help me find some hot chocolate sachets, but sadly they did not appear to stock them at this location. Despite being unable to find the hot chocolate sachets, the selection in the store was good for most areas including dairy, meat and fresh produce. The store is easy to find what you're looking for, and it's also fairly easy to get in and out quickly using the Marks and Spencer app. You're able to scan and bag items as you're walking around the store, before paying using your mobile device and leaving the store, which saves so much time queuing. I did have to end up going to a staffed checkout anyway due to purchasing an item with a security tag, but it took no time at all to get this sorted, again with a friendly staff member. Due to the size of the store, it doesn't have a Cafe or Toilets as you'd expect from the larger Marks and Spencer locations, if you're looking for a toilet you may find one in a nearby restaurant such as Nando's. 4* - Pretty good Marks and Spencer overall, clean, easy to follow with a good quality of service and selection.

I told my husband that I loved Fred's and he said Fred's what? Fred's clothes of course darling. He…read morehad every right to be jealous because I have developed an unhealthy obsession for this place. The brother of Six clothes shop in Urmston, Fred's is a plethora of funky, pretty and stylish ensembles and as only approximately three of each garment is stocked, you don't run the risk of seeing clones of yourself about town....is there anything more irritating?! A fresh green exterior leads you into a boudoir of flocked wallpaper and huge ornate mirrors. The store itself is small and can get really crowded especially on weekends, yet the changing room is spacious with two cubicles ( I just whip my clothes off in the area outside them, it beats a long wait). From floral boho maxis to vintage looking 60's lace minis. From cute summer dresses ( I bought a yellow/purple floral creation last year and was never out of it), to sexy sequinned numbers, Fred's has something for everyone. Prices are superb too! Most dresses range from only £18 to £30 with a couple of exceptions. The staff are terrific, Fred is so helpful and amazing at sourcing original clothes, teenage Saturday girls cannot do enough for you. Yes dear husband, another man has entered my life and stolen my heart.

I was immediately drawn to Fred's by their quirky window display. It's a relatively small shop but…read moreeverything is well spaced and displayed to advantage. The clothes are extremely reasonable. The last time I called in they had a rail of chunky knit jumpers going for £20 each. Styles lean more towards the younger market a pretty mini dress with a bunny print and lace collar caught my eye. Other items included cute tops with character prints and stripes and polka dots seemed to be popular. If you buy from Fred's it's unlikely you're going to bump into anyone else wearing the same thing. This is not your average high street stuff. Knowledgeable staff make this a relaxed and enjoyable shopping experience.

A very busy vinyl collection, particularly 7"s, along with a robust cd section makes this worth…read moreyour while. Everything organized neatly. Good selection of blues and reggae but caters to all tastes. Worth the trip.

I am indebted to Kingbee…read more A few years ago, my brother asked me to deejay at a 30th birthday party for him and his mates. When he casually mentioned it was in 48 hours time and he didn't want me to play the 70s records I already had - Patti Smith, Television, New York no wave, etc - I began to panic. Since I was in Chorlton at the time, I went into Kingbee on the off chance they' might have a couple of records I could get. When I saw they had racks of 70s disco, pop and rock, I could have kissed the owner. Instead, I spent the next hour digging through the racks and checking out different tracks on their turntable. If it had been a Friday or Saturday, I would have had a long line of grumpy record collectors behind me, impatiently waiting to play their chosen records. As it was, I had the turntable to myself and left the shop with two bags stuffed with goodies. Amazingly, the whole lot only came to £30 and the guy offered to buy back any records I didn't want a few days later. What did I get? A couple of mint T-Rex, David Bowie and Roxy Music albums, compilations featuring Abba, The Bee Gees, Hot Chocolate and Sister Sledge and lots of excellent Blondie, Soft Cell, Sylvester, The Specials and Curtis Mayfield 7" and 12"s. Suffice to say, my brothers and his mates danced all night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqJk0q4QvZk&feature=related

Wilbrahams of Chorlton is a Fine Jewellery Store Specializing in Engagement rings and Wedding Rings…read moreand has a Onsite jewellery workshop were all full jewellery repair service is carried out as well as supplying and fitting watch batteries and straps

Unless you're off to the jobcentreplus next door, there is little reason why you would walk past…read morethis little charity shop located in Chorlton Place - the eyesore of a shopping centre some people want to knock down to build a supermarket and others want to preserve due to the independent shops it houses. The Red Cross shop is, however, worth a look, and is much better-stocked than the other Red Cross shop on Wilbraham Road, where they stock odd furniture items and the odd vinyl record. This shop is packed to the brim with clothes and books, and there are always bargains to be had - the cheapest items are often displayed outside the shop. I don't like the thought of paying over the odds for a greetings card, which is essentially a piece of card. I do make an exception when I buy them from charity shops and this one has a good selection (especially for old people). I went into this shop on Halloween and heard somebody asking if they had any wedding dresses which they could use as a costume. The friendly Red Cross lady said that they were out of wedding dresses but went out the back to check if they had any suitable bridesmaids dresses. You wouldn't even get that level of customer service in most high street shops!