General Store Deansgate

Review by Bradley Lengden: The last few years have seen General Store become a familiar face and firm favourite in and around Manchester’s city centre. In General Store Deansgate, the independent retailer could have their most impressive setup to date.

Dramatically nestled between the four skyline-altering towers that now make up the new-look and ever-growing Deansgate Square, this relatively new General Store spot continues to blur the lines of retail and leisure space, only this time on a far bigger scale.

An on-site coffee counter serves up freshly-ground Ancoats Coffee and locally baked treats, while an impressive alcohol emporium – stocking local favourites like Pomona Island, Track, Cloudwater, Beatnikz and Blackjack – has been fitted with its own tasting area.

General Store Deansgate Square also has the largest retail offering of the brand’s ‘cornershop’ venues. Shelves are lined with a mixture of household essentials and independent names like Nell’s Pizza, The Great North Pie Company, Just Natas and a particularly strong array of hot sauces, should that be your thing.

General Store’s newest spot continues to blur the lines of retail and leisure space, only this time on a far bigger scale

Sustainability remains a focal point with the new spot too. Visitors can nip in and use the zero-waste refill stations to top up on basics that range from washing up liquid and conditioner, to rice, pasta and nuts.

Design-wise, Manchester’s very own Youth Studios, responsible for a number of the city’s most sought-after residential spots, have been drafted in to lend a creative eye. Long, airy aisles meet neon lights and ticker tape LED displays, all combining to make running to the shop a much more palatable experience.

This Deansgate branch joins shops in Ancoats, Moss Side, Castlefield, Salford and MediaCityUK, and Kampus. Two new food halls in Sale and Northwich have also been announced by the group, which is also behind the much-acclaimed Stretford Foodhall.