You may think we’re in a bit of a retro revolution, with vintage clothing, record shops and nostalgic TV all being more popular than ever. But one retro format that’s often overlooked is the humble cassette tape. OK, they were pretty temperamental, and manually winding back the tape was a true nightmare, but there’s so much to love about something that fits in your pocket with you favourite music contained inside. And no, I don’t mean a phone.
It’s rare to find a shop outside of vinyl stores that cater to this bygone relic, but luckily for us in Manchester, we have one that claims to be the ‘last cassette shop in the UK‘. The latest and third expansion of Mars Tapes comes after seven years of growth, this time moving down to a much larger unit on the first floor of the legendary Afflecks – one of the biggest units in the building.
What’s new about the Mars Tapes expansion?
Mars Tapes now has an even larger selection of cassette displays, more vintage audio equipment, and a selection of exclusive in-store offers. Mars Tapes has also added a lovely new listening café space for people to have a coffee, listen to a tape and soak in the atmosphere.
What can you find at Mars Tapes?
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Mars Tapes provides something for everyone. From Whitney Houston and Sister Sledge, to Talking Heads and The Clash, browse the endless shelves as you sip a coffee and watch the world go by down on Oldham Street. Pop your chosen tapes in the player, style out the retro headphones and go to town as you try before you buy – and then bring home a piece of history.
📍 Mars Tapes, 1st Floor Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW.