Afflecks Palace

I've been going to Affleck's since I was 14 years old, I'm 29 now and to be honest rather baffled by all the reviews here saying it's purely for teenagers! When I was a teenager I was into the goth look, bought a lot from here, now I'm a jeans and T-shirt kinda girl and I STILL shop here because they still carter to my wants even if my tastes have changed. This place has stores for every age. Off the top of my head I can name a bead and jewellry store, many second hand and vintage stores, Gothic clothing stores, rock clothing, unusual hand made clothing, Japanese gifts, Asian/Chinese inspired fashion, Japanese rock fashion, funny T-shirts, ladies bags.... the list goes on and on.
I'm not someone that goes on about it not being as good as it used to be either. Ever since I can remember Affleck's has been constantly changing, stores come and go, that's the beauty of this place.
You don't have to be into any 'scene' to find something here, it has all sorts and is a real treasure. There is no 'target' age at all as someone else said that is just plain silly and perhaps a bit more to do with certain views.
You can be sure you'll have a great time here and find something fun and unusual.
Only thing I'd say is go on a weekday if you can, it gets busy on Saturday just like the rest of Manchester city centre.

awesome place very unusual defintaly worth a visit

Went to a cracking little Japanese trinket shop in Afflecks the other day, cant remember the name but the woman who owns it was really friendly and knowledgable. Good stuff !

I didn't grow up in Manchester, though as a teenager I still listened to Radiohead and The Manics and generally moped about a lot. If I had lived in Manchester, Afflecks would have been my haven, from bargain vintage shops to the more expensive boutiques selling wonderful one off pieces and the plethora of shops stocking black tshirts and band posters.

Being a living breathing girl in my (late) 20s, I know it is wise to avoid the place on a Saturday. The weekdays are much quieter and give you more time to have a real good browse through the vintage clothing racks. Unless you enjoy attempting to shop whilst avoid loitering teens hanging off every staircase.

It's great for buying cute gifts for friends or getting an outfit for a costume party, but if you're a person who hates crowded places wih lots of rooting around and dodging teenages, best left avoided.

Affleck's Palace is a Mancunian institution. Naturally, it's something of a mecca for teenagers - unsurprising really as that's squarely what it is aimed at.

Of course, there's much talk of 'it's not as good as it used to be' and I'm as guilty as anyone for saying it. However, this should come with the caveat of '...but then again, I'm not supposed to like it because I'm over 23 years old and thereby, completely puzzled by youth movements'.

Basically, it's as great as it's ever been, provided you're the target age.

So, over loads of floors you'll find (the famous) bead shop, mental vintage clothes, new quirky fashions, latex bondage gear, somewhere to get a haircut, somewhere to get a piercing, somewhere to have a spot of lunch and a brew, record shops, ornaments and... just about everything is served for those who want to buy alternative.

Essentially, Affleck's is a market for drop-outs spread across the floors of a building as opposed to the traditional marketplace.

Manchester is being overhauled by property developers and with progress comes casualties. I'd say it's near vital that Affleck's doesn't become one of them because, in it's own weird little way, Affleck's is the heartbeat of Manchester City Centre... even if I no longer understand the value of things being sold there.

A wonderful place and a real landmark.

I also think this place maybe not as unusual as back "in the day" but i still love it. Even if you just want to see whats about and what's different :) Love the bead shop- has inspired me to make more things myself. Recommend for all things fun and creative.

A Manchester institution. Not as great as it once was, but still worth a visit!

amazing! i would live here if I could! Afflecks Palace has something for everyone, no matter if you are emo or indie or anything. It is a great place to make friends and just chill out in the great cafe. I love this place as do my friends. We go here very often, practically every weekend.

This really is the most quirky, fun little shopping mall I have ever been to. A breath of fresh air to all the chain shops in Manchester city centre. Definitely worth a visit.

After hearing many fantastic reports about this place I finally got to visit here a few years ago. After searching for ages we eventually found it tucked away down a side street. The outside is very Gothic looking with fantastic metal lights on the building wall.

The building is made up of lots of different floors containing loads of little stalls and they sell all things Gothic and Punk with a little bit of Retro thrown in for good measure. It is possible to pick up a great bargain and when I went I purchased three pairs of flared cord trousers for £20.

They also sell great costume jewellery and handbags and it is fab for getting something a little bit different that you can guarentee no-one else will have. When I went we also decided to eat in the cafe which at the time was done out like a fifties diner, and had cake and coffee, which was very nice indeed.

On the very top floor there were smaller stalls selling beads and other items for jewellery making and badges of everything under the sun.

It is a fantastic little place and well worth a look if you like clothes that are that bit different but still full of loads of style.

Afflecks is the best shop in the world to me :)
All the clothing is alternative, and everyone is welcomed. The shop owners are sooo lovely.
Theres different floors full of badges, unique clothes, posters, tutus, shoes anything ! Its out of the Town Centre near Primark, its not that easy to find unless you know where it is.
Whatever you are looking for you will find it here, I would say it is more for the younger teens, my daughter has helped me with this review because it is her favourite shop and she is aged 13.
Would definetely reccomend. for emo/goths and anyone who likes to lood a bit different.
The price you pay for that unique item of clothing or jewelry is very reasonable and is of excellent quality.
The shop is in an old building and has about 4 floors, each floor has all different stalls selling the most unusual and vintage items, go and have a look even if it is not your style you will be amazed.

You’ve probably heard of Afflecks palace, either from the fact that its constantly in the papers as being close to closure or due to a younger cousin raving about the shops there. However if you have any disernable taste then Afflecks palace is one to avoid.

Perhaps the best thing its for is for purchasing items for fancy dress parties - if you want to dress as an emo kid or a hippy. Most of the people in here will be wearing makeup and sulking, the vast quantity of them will be depressed and looking for a new skull and crossbones pendant.

Maybe Im a bit cynical, maybe Im just not the right type of person for here, but the only reason I want Afflecks to stay open is so the people who shop here dont get in my way in other parts of town.

A strangely enticing alternative shopping centre. Definately not your highstreet shopping experience but there are amazing bargains to be had here! Brilliant for fancy dress, tattoos, piercings and clothes that you won’t see on everyone else!
I have to admit I was a little intimitated by its strange exterior but its a big favourite amongst students and locals alike! I enjoy looking around the vintage, quirky shops and finding some amazing items!
Definately a brilliant place to visit if you want to escape the high street!!

Its like a shopping mall for alternative goods. Several floors of great clothes, tattoos, music and fun things. If you are at all alternative and love to shop then this is the place to go.

Afflecks Palace hosts a whole range of small shops and stalls which stock everything from goth to retro with nu-wave in between. Spread over a few floors the range is truly endless with quite an eccletic collection of items. However if the less high-street approach to shopping is not your thing Afflecks can be quite an intimidating and frustrating experience. Although it gives you the market- style of shopping the prices don’t match this and if you are going expecting to find bargains or opportunities for haggling then you will be disappointed.

Affleks Palace is a brilliant shopping centre for alternative clothes, accessories and gifts. It has 4 floors with lots of stalls selling many weird and wonderful things such as vintage clothing, hair dye, fetish gear, jewellery making supplies and it even has a body piercing studio.

If you get peckish whilst shopping Affleks Palace has its own cafe which sells cheap and cheerful food such as toasties and soup.

It is situated in the Northern Quarter of Manchester where you will find many other alternative shops selling original clothes and retro items as well as some good bars, cafes and restaurants.

If you go to Manchester shopping and don’t go here you have missed a gem!! It is a really funky shopping outlet just off the beaten track of the city centre. It has a really indie, quirky fell and this is shown in the clothes available. The layout is a bit sprawling which is good because it takes you away from the corporate feel of a lot of other shops in the city. I love American Apparel but i didn’t think anywhere in Manchester sold it but i found a good selection of their stuff in here. Altough if your looking for a bargain you might have to look hard for it, because although it is not that organsied the clothes would not be deemed cheap. Really good for getting cheap pimsoles.

You cant go to Manchester and not visit Afflecks. Home to a number of differens stalls and shops, selling a wide range of things from clothes, music memrobillia, trinkets, haircuts, fortune telling, tea/coffee/food - theres something for the hippy/goth/punk/clubber in you!

If you’re a teenager - 5 stars. If you’re an adult, it’s fun to look around, but it does make you feel old….

This building is a fabulous little place if you’re looking for something a bit different to what everyone else has !! It has a few floors and is down one of those little side streets off Piccadily, so unless you know where to go you may have a little trouble finding it. That said, it really is a little gem of a place if you’re after a one-off or something abit different. Like I said, there’s different floors and each floor has little sections which are separately run almost like a little market stall. You’re able to find hand made clothes and unusual clothes there where I used to love to go for an out-fit for a night out which no one else would be wearing !! Good quality and yet really affordable considering on the fact that you were buying something different and not mass manufactured.