Clicks and Mortar at 5 St Mary's Gate (the end of Market Street going onto Deansgate) in Manchester…read morecity centre, is a cool and innovative pop-up store from Amazon with a concept of "giving online traders their first taste of high-street presence), which in the days of the high-street seeing stores vanishing, and the sad inevitable decline is actually refreshing to see. Many of my reviews come from stores, even though I find the low prices of retailers such as Amazon inviting, but combining my love of retail and online shopping in one hub, this makes it the perfect place to mark my landmark milestone 2500th Yelp review. The store is a little small and as a pop-up until the end of the year, it isn't a bold, modern store with a lot of time put into the decor and layout, but that doesn't mean the store is terrible - actually it is the opposite, they manage to pack just enough into the small space they have from multiple traders from genuine leather men's products including cases to fruit juices, cosmetics and peanut butter. I did find a lack of organisation in the store, there was a leaflet which appeared to be a little vague, but having more of a sign "try me" on the sample juices, or perhaps a store manager to oversee everything, rather than just staff working each individual stall would have worked a lot better. They do have Amazon lockers here, and although they are all over Manchester including around two or three sets in the Arndale, one in the Co-op, and then the collection points around the city, the location of these is really useful for Deansgate especially if you want to avoid the mega busy Arndale on a Saturday (It would also apply on a Sunday too, but sadly for a bizarre reason this store isn't open.) The Amazon lockers are regularly full here compared to the others, which might be because they just opened a few days ago and people using them haven't had time to use the lockers yet (picking up their items). I really liked the Torro stand more than the others because this is a product I am familiar with, so it was a pleasant surprise to see them here as I already own one of their phone-cases, I've had it now for around a month but the case has already become easy to scratch, speaking to their salesman here who seemed really friendly, he gave me some advice to fix it as well as showing me the material they use showing how durable it is, and we were both puzzled at why it did scratch, he told me he has seen cases returned in that condition, but did not offer to swap mine over - this is understandable but surely if he's been offered cases returned in this condition, he could have done the same to me? It would have been great if there was more detail perhaps online on when and where and who would be coming to this store, and perhaps if it was bigger too, as the back of the store near the Amazon lockers is a rather narrow, tight-squeeze but with this the first of 10 cleverly named "Clicks and Mortar" stores by Amazon, they've really set the barrier high and despite some flaws with the layout and knowing more about the traders (they change every two weeks). A great concept worthy of a solid four-star rating as I look to add to this review as the store changes in two-weeks time, where I hope some of the issues are ironed out and are just simple teething issues after opening just a few days a go.

The Lodge is a cosy pop-up Bierkeller (beer cellar) on the piazza of MediaCityUK and was organised…read moreby the team behind The Dockyard (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-dockyard-salford). My love for what these guys are doing increases month by month. Taking the form of a series of large brown conical teepees, they certainly act as a beacon for the inquisitive. When you enter, the bar is at the front, selling beers from local breweries Seven Bro7hers and Runaway, as well as Warsteiner, which keeps the Bavarian vibe going. Soft drinks are also available so it's family-friendly. The floor is covered with bark chippings, exposed beams are wrapped in lights and the seating takes the form of long benches with tables. If it's chilly they have a box of blankets for customers which I thought was a nice touch - there'll be 'fights' over those as the temperature continues to drop I reckon ;) Half-way down is the small kitchen, more of a giant BBQ really, where they cook exceedingly tasty 12" hotdogs for £4.50 (fried onions and American cheese are 50p each extra). They take your order at the drinks bar and then shout out your number so keep an ear open. At the back is a small fire pit and more comfortable seats, so if you're early enough head there and bagsy a spot in the warmth. It's a terrific addition to MCUK, but unfortunately only a temporary one (they stay open until just before Christmas) as well as the ice rink next to it.

Winter in the UK rocks. Tipi tents pop up all over the place, offering cockle-warming food and…read morebeverages in surroundings that give you that fuzzy Christmassy feeling. The Lodge succeeds in doing just that. Situated in the heart of Salford's MediaCityUK, The Lodge offers a good selection of beers and a small but really well priced food menu. We opted for German specialities; Schnitzel (chargrilled breaded chicken, salad and lemon dressing in a burger bun, £4) and Choucroute (sauerkraut smoked pork belly, shredded ham hock and cured sausage with herbed butter and new potatoes, also £4). These provided the perfect lunch time snack and where better to tuck into such tasty, good value treats than next to a roaring fire in a fairy-lit tipi?

He saved me. I went to 4 shops to get some self made xmas…read morecards and no one would do it The gentleman did it for me straight away and fixed some size problems Great!!!

A brilliant resource centre for the local community, Marc Ltd is a not for profit organisation that…read moreoffers cheap design, print and computer services. The materials are more limited in terms of colour and stock than other printers but it's ideal if you're looking to photocopy hundreds of copies of a zine or get flyers and posters printed for a new gig or club night. To paraphrase the band Bis: The DIY revolution starts here!

A treasure trove of second hand & vintage items!…read more This is a charity shop which funds the work of the Mustard Tree. They support vulnerable people across Greater Manchester in a variety of ways. This shop is a couple of minutes walk down Oldham Road, just out of the end of the Northern Quarter. They have a huge range of second hand items including furniture, white goods (but not cookers), clothing, bric a brac, electricals and entertainment items like vinyl. Everything is very reasonably priced as you would expect and they get some amazing vintage items in. They offer delivery for either £5 or £10 depending on the distance which is much cheaper than most other local charities. They also accept donations of items and can collect furniture for free on their vans. Call their office to book in a collection of you want to donate or you drop things like clothing off at their site. Check the website for opening times. It's well worth the extra small walk out of the main city centre to have a rummage in this hidden gem!

This place has furniture so laughably cheap I could, well, laugh. As the proud new owner of a small…read morehouse I visited here one Saturday to kit the place out. I left with: 1 double bed (frame) 1 single bed (frame) 1 double wardrobe 1 single wardrobe 1 chest of drawers 1 bookcase 4 kitchen chairs 1 hallway unit All look very nice, all very functional. Combined cost: £253. Add on a tenner and they delivered the whole lot, carried each piece into the correct room etc. NB: CASH ONLY. They know where the nearest ATM is, but don't get caught out.

As my friends will tell you, I love a bargain. I have been known to buy things I don't need or even…read morelike, because they've been cheap. I always get a good feeling when I grab a bargain, more so when it's something I actually want. And when it's for charity, well that makes it even better! The Wes, as it is affectionately known by locals, runs entirely on donations and voluntary work and aims to help those who might not be able to afford to furnish their homes by offering everything they sell at incredibly low prices. A fridge will set you back £25, a washing machine £35 and you can pick up a double bed for £20. It's a great place to go if you're just setting up house; me and the boyf got a dining table with four chairs, and a bedside table, for £60. The dining set is incredible quality, and the chairs are very similar to ones sold in M&S for £150 a pair. Needless to say, I was pretty chuffed with that particular bargain. As well as a fantastic furniture section, the Wes has a great section of bric a brac, where we picked up two camping chairs for festival season for £10. This section sells clothes, shoes and household bits and bobs, and there is a great book section, with books from as little as 20p. The Wesley prides itself on supplying low price furniture "to those in greatest need from all over the City of Manchester". As if its low prices weren't enough, they also offer 'starter' packs for £50-80, for those who have very low incomes and who can get a referral letter from the council, or social services. These starter packs are a great resource for those who are really in need. The Wes is a fantastic hidden gem with a real heart of gold. All of the money spent on furniture here goes to the running of the centre, and it's such a good cause that it makes me feel even better about grabbing a bargain.

Fantastic Cafe with a great vibe. Appreciated that they are minimizing plastics . Love the Chicken…read moreClub

This is a not for profit, community run, church linked cafe…read more As it's a not for profit cafe my brie, bacon and cranberry panini plus side salad cost a very reasonable £3.50. My freshly made banana milkshake tasted of the real thing and cost £1.99. It's pleasingly decorated in a fresh green colour with pretty cotton bunting on the ceiling. There's seating at the front although you'll be looking at the Stockport Road, so we decided to eat inside with a view of the garden instead. The menu is the standard cafe fare of jacket potatoes, soup, sandwiches and paninis. Plus brownies and scones. They also have ice-cream cones for a £1. The food is good, but what's great is supporting the "I love levy" community spirit. On a side note, they do have some modern hymns on but I only noticed after being there about 1.5 hours so I find that acceptable. Also, it seems to get busy later in the afternoon with mums and young kids.