We wanted to share some of our favourite spots and friends around the area to give an introduction to anyone curious about visiting the ‘New Berlin’, and what makes the town such an exciting place for us to be based.
1 - Cafe SanJuan - 27 St Petersgate, SK1 1EB
Located just above the underbanks along St Petersgate is this small local cafe run by our great friend Luis and his family, who have become embedded in the local scene since opening in July 2021. The cafe boasts an authentic Colombian menu: Colombian sausages, perico scrambled eggs and guava jelly all feature on the hearty breakfast selections, served with the cafe’s own punchy house roasted coffee. Also serving burritos, various fritos (fried delights) and fantastic weekly specials like Snapper and Tamales, this spot is always a great visit and an ideal way to start a day out in Stockport.
2 - SK1 Records - 17 Little Underbank, SK1 1LA
Since opening in 2018, SK1 Records has become a key name associated with the growth and development of the Underbanks area. The shop is truly a one-stop shop for all record buyers, with large sections dedicated to classic albums, jazz, electronic, blues, hip hop, jungle and everything inbetween.
The shop is also home to one of our Clarity A Audio Systems, controlled by our Radius 2 DJ Mixer and FX, which are used to power the varied small, free events put on by Joe and Gareth - allowing SK1 Records to function as more than a shop, with events bringing a range of music and vibes to the picturesque Little Underbank until late in the evening.
3 - Rare Mags - 5 Lower Hillgate, SK1 1JQ -
The next stop on our tour, just a brief walk down Little Underbank is this specialist magazine and bookshop. They are one of the oldest spots on our list, having been open since 2018, and as the name suggests, the shop imports all manner of obscure and hard to find publications from all over the world - likely being the only four walls to stock certain issues for hundreds of miles around - serving interests including music culture, fashion, interior design, outdoors, cooking and sports. It's hard to not spend an hour flicking through the huge range titles on offer, and even harder to leave empty-handed. Martin & Holly’s exceptional taste has shaped our ever growing list of titles held at the MasterSounds creative hub.
4 - All Night Flight - 10 Mealhouse Brow, SK1 1JP -
Winding up towards the Market Square along Mealhouse Brow is Stockport’s specialist vinyl shop. Focusing on left-field electronic and international music, All Night Flight has a personality unlike any other record shops near Manchester. Tom’s selections are carefully sourced from famous international record fairs and personal pilgrimages to Japan, Africa & Europe. Collectors of experimental dance music, ethnographic recordings or free jazz are sure to find rare and unknown treasures among the racks here.
5 - Plant Shop - 8 Mealhouse Brow SK1 1JP -
Located right next door to All Night Flight is the Plant Shop, who offer a wonderful selection of plants in all shapes and sizes, plus an array of gifting items, with handy home delivery to the local area. Ryan and patron Emma have been friends for 15 plus years, starting their friendship in Leeds at the legendary Back 2 Basics clubnight, so also watch out for sporadic in store events with local music artists and DJ’s.
6 - Sticky Fingers - Market Hall SK1 1UN
The first stop of two in the beautiful victorian Market Hall is the stall of the wonderful polish artisan bakery Sticky Fingers, which despite only being open for a few months has quickly become a local favourite. Due to this popularity, its common to see the huge selection of traditional pastries, breads and treats completely disappear, all sold out before the end of the day, so we recommend getting there early after opening to experience all there is to offer. We recommend the polish eclair, which is about six times the size of a regular supermarket eclair and about six times messier to eat as a result.
7 - Wine Boy - Market Hall SK1 1UN -
We can think of no better way to end our guide than with a drink at this tiny local off-licence, just around the corner from Sticky Fingers in the market hall. Specialising in natural wines and craft beers, Mark has lined the walls of the stall with all manner of local and imported bottles, and as a fountain of wine knowledge and great host, you can be sure to find the right drink for every visit.
And now, full of craft ale, cream eclair, and perico eggs; with arms encumbered by japanese limited pressings and jungle rarities, a giant monstera and a couple of glossy 4th editions, we conclude our tour of Stockport's wonderful local businesses. But thats not all Stockport has to offer - the list could go on! With events like Foodie Friday, SK1 store events, art and craft fairs and much more, Stockport is an inexhaustible trove of ways to spend quality time.
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Keep On Grooovin',
MasterSounds HQ
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