Beneath the “music film + books” lettering on Brown Street, a few steps from the Arndale and the bustle of Market Street, FOPP Manchester spreads across two floors of CDs, vinyl, films and reading matter. It is one of the city centre’s most dependable places to pick up a new release on the day it lands, or to fill a bag with catalogue titles at prices that leave room for one more.
Background / History
FOPP started life in Glasgow in 1981 as a single market stall run by Gordon Montgomery, taking its name from an Ohio Players song. The business grew into a UK-wide chain, and when it ran into trouble in 2007 HMV bought the brand and reopened a handful of its strongest shops. Manchester was one of them.
The Brown Street branch has weathered another storm since. It closed in February 2019 during HMV’s administration, but after Sunrise Records rescued the business a new lease was agreed and the doors reopened on 26 May 2019. It has traded steadily ever since and remains one of only a small number of FOPP shops left in the country.
What You’ll Find
New music is the heart of the shop. Long runs of CD racks sit alongside a healthy selection of new vinyl, from current indie, rock and pop releases to reissues, deluxe editions and back-catalogue classics, with coloured pressings and staff picks displayed face-out. Everything is new stock rather than second-hand, and the pricing on catalogue titles is keen enough to make a speculative purchase feel easy.
Film is a big part of the offer too, with DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K releases covering cult cinema, world film, box sets and television. Books on music, film and pop culture fill further shelves, with music postcards, posters and gift-friendly odds and ends mixed in. You can place pre-orders and collect online orders in store.
Experience / Atmosphere
The space is bright and open, with wide aisles, red steel columns and clearly signed sections that make it easy to work through at your own pace. The staff are friendly and genuinely helpful, whether you need an obscure title tracked down, a stock check or a hand with an order.
The shop also plays a real part in Manchester’s music calendar. It hosts in-store signings and sessions, with artists such as Steven Wilson and McFly meeting fans here in recent years, and it takes part in Record Store Day, stocking the limited releases each year.
Why Visit
- Two floors of new music, film and books in the heart of the city centre
- A strong mix of new releases, reissues and keenly priced catalogue titles
- A deep film section, from cult classics to 4K releases
- In-store signings, sessions and Record Store Day participation
- Friendly staff who are happy to track things down for you
Summary
FOPP Manchester has survived more than its share of upheaval and is still one of the best places in the city centre to browse physical music and film in person. Whether you are after this week’s big release, a classic album on vinyl or a film you have been meaning to watch for years, it is well worth an unhurried visit whenever you are in town.
