We're just back from the opening of the new The North Face concept
store on Manchester's Deansgate where we enjoyed an audience with
Mick Fowler, a Nepali breakfast and a look round the new store.
That's it, up there...
The biggest TNF only shop in Europe - there are seven apparently -
the new store is the second in the UK following on from the success
of the Covent Garden TNF shop. It's big, bright and airy and one of
the few places where you can find pretty much the entire North Face
range under one roof. There's everything from sleeping bags, through
clothing and packs and ontotents and footwear with some of the
latest autumn / winter kit like TNF's new baselayers in stock now.
We don't pretend to understand design - as you've no doubt noticed
- but we can tell you that the Italian design firm Brombini and
Saccardo worked on the two-storey space creating, erm, 'a world-class
destination for outdoor enthusiasts and retail shoppers' with a
Tibetan theme and very nice it is too.
Potentially more interesting, but as yet unfinished, is a fully
functioning indoor 7-metre ice-climbing wall, similar to the one in
Covent Garden. Apparently its the tallest ice wall in a retail
environment in the UK and is as high as the inside space of the
building. Once it's open, customers will be able to rope up, don
crampons and front point to their heart's content under the
supervision of qualified instructors.
TNF is growing fast in the UK and Keith Byrne, the brand's UK
marketing manager, hopes that the new store will also appeal to the
kind of people who wouldn't venture into a pure outdoors shop as well
as outdoor enthusiasts like you and me.
What more can we tell you? It's a nice shop, it's at 130-136
Deansgate, right in the centre of Manchester and it's open now. Phone
number is 0870 428 4429. So there you go :-)
More TNF info - www.thenorthface.com
Jamie Bassnett
The indoor ice wall at the TNF store in Manchester is open for business with 40 tons of ice just waiting for a good kicking from your expertly wielded crampon points :-)
