Manchester's hidden hotspots

As many of you know, I'm big on supporting independent brands. Don't get me wrong, everyone loves a bit of the high street, but if you take a short walk out of the center of Manchester you'll find some fantastic places to shop and eat. So when I was contacted by o2, to share my favourite haunts as part of their new campaign, I couldn't say no!

Retro Rehab
Retro Rehab is a shop I've mentioned on the blog before, but for those of you that didn't see my last post, I'll give you a quick run down. The staff at RR hunt for the very best vintage clothes and work their crafty magic to give them an updated finish. For anyone that doesn't have the patients to delve into the abyss of shops like Ryan Vintage, this place is for you! My favourite find in RR is a 70's dress I purchased for my friends birthday. The staff had given it new life by adding embellishment and shoulder pads.
'Like' Retro Rehab on Facebook here.


Home Sweet Home
My flatmate is a food journalist and took me HSH a few months back. Since then I've been back too many times to count! The quirky little restaurant resides in the Northern Quarter and has a homely and inviting atmosphere. As a vegetarian, I often struggle when it comes to eating out, but HSH offers many options. I would certainly recommend their big veggie breakfasts and ultimate hot chocolate!
'Like' Home Sweet Home on facebook here.


Vintage fairs
Manchester holds loads of great vintage events. The last one I attended was at Victoria Baths, up near the University of Manchester. Whitworth Art Gallery also hold fairs for small business owners. You can expect to find stalls offering fashion, food and even full vintage inspired make-overs!

To encourage people to understand the benefits of shopping locally, o2 priority moments are holding an event this weekend in Exchange Square, Manchester. You can expect to find some great independent retailers on show and might even bag yourself a bargain! I urge you all to check out the event and help support local businesses in this difficult time. o2 is now making it much easier for shoppers and independent businesses to connect, by offering the brands access to priority moments at absolutely no cost - how nice is that?

So please do pop by Exchange Square this weekend to support your local economy! Also, feel free to share your favourite local businesses in the comment section below!