A Chinese pop culture shop has opened its biggest store in the north at the Trafford Centre – featuring a huge collection of plushies, homewares, blind boxes and exclusive merch from K-Pop bands.
Described as a ‘playground of endless fun and excitement’, the new MINISO shop had hundreds of people queuing up before it officially opened its doors at 12pm – with some having joined the lines three hours early.
The store sells merchandise and accessories from some of the biggest brands like Sanrio, Disney, Pokémon, and Dragon Ball Z. It’s basically where you can expect young children, teens and collectors to spend hours on end oogling over what to buy.
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Alongside shelves and shelves of hundreds of different plushies, ranging from penguins and cats, to famous anime characters and even watermelon chickens, there’s sweets, homeware, toys, and everything in-between – including 90s fave Tamagotchi’s.
Already popular in Manchester thanks to its store in the Arndale, which has been going strong since the end of 2022, the new shop marks MINISO’s 28th in the UK.
Its first store opened in Gaungzhou in China back in 2013 and the brand now has 4,200 stores across the world, including a flagship store in New York’s famous Times Square.
First in line at the Trafford Centre, and having been in the queue since 9am this morning (July 5), are mother and daughter Mandy and Evie, from Flixton. Mandy said she found out about the shop’s opening a couple of weeks ago, and the pair decided to head into the shopping centre early for a chance to snap up some Snoopy and Hello Kitty products.
But Evie says she also has her eye on something else. “I want the giant penguin plushie in the window,” she tells the Manchester Evening News, “but it’s £150.”
They were also lured in by the special giveaway of the day – which saw the first 400 people to purchase an item in-store receive a limited-edition tote bag filled with goodies worth up to £25. “We’re hoping there will be some stationary and plushies in the goody bag,” Mandy said. “But we’re excited to have a look around.”
Inside the special goody bag, staff shared that amongst the items was a penguin plushie, a notepad, and other treats. Staff also revealed that The Trafford Centre store is also one of the first to sell a new line of BT21 products, which are a collaboration between K-pop sensation BTS and LINE Friends.
The products feature cushions, water bottles and stationary sets and are set to be some of the most in-demand items on sale.
Other new additions to the 2,700 sq ft store, which is located on the ground floor of the shopping centre in-between Boots and John Lewis, include special Barbie, Minions and Snoopy lines, which will be available to buy before reaching the other stores across the country.
In addition, there’s snacks, like rice cakes, bubble teas and chocolate dippers, as well as car toys, trading cards, and other collectable items. There are also a wide array of blind boxes, featuring mystery toys, covering a wealth of themes, and characters from popular television shows and video games. Disney characters, with Stitch and the Princesses in particular, also get prominent features across products.
A little further down the line to Mandy and Evie was self-confessed ‘most loyal MINISO customer’ Cindy, from Oldham. who has been queuing since 10am. With family in China, she said MINISO is a brand she has been aware of for a few years now and is excited about the new store.
“I missed the goody bag when they opened the Arndale store so I wanted to try and get here today for it,” she explained. “I hope there’s some Sanrio products in it, like Hello Kitty things, but I also really want the tote bag!”
Cindy added that, when visiting China, she would often visit MINISO so she is excited to see a second store open in Greater Manchester.
“In Asia, this was my childhood shop and I love the things that they sell,” she explained. “My mum would take me there when we’d visit.
“I live in Oldham so I had to stay at my friends and get a taxi here this morning, but it’s a good atmosphere. There’s lots of people here.”
The store was officially opened with a drum procession, and a ribbon cutting ceremony from none other than Love Island star Jessica Rose Lever.
MINISO’s very own penguin mascot PenPen, dressed up in summer pastel attire with a matching pink handbag to boot, was also on hand for photos with fans.
Saad Usman, Chief Operating Officer at MINISO UK, said: “We are incredibly excited to grow our presence in the North West by opening MINISO’s largest store in the North of England at the Trafford Centre.
“This is MINISO’s second store in Manchester after the great success of our Arndale location, and we can’t wait to expand even more in the North this year.
“Trafford Centre has always been a premier shopping hub in the city, and we are thrilled to bring our unique blend of affordable, high-quality products to this iconic shopping destination.”
Simon Layton, centre director at Trafford Centre, added: “MINISO promises to bring a unique and joyful in-store experience to our visitors, and will be a fantastic addition to our dynamic brand line-up at the Trafford Centre.”