Paperchase Manchester

Paperchase is quite a large brand of stores, specializing in stationary, this is quite an impressive, large store and one of their three flagship stores in the UK, alongside London and Glasgow, Paperchase are quite a big brand with 130 store in the UK and 30 across the rest of Europe, including France and Germany, and also the middle east.
I called in here today, to have a look at lever arch folders, after having a disaster with a good 8 – 9 of the products I had bought for £4.99 each from Whsmith had broke, and I had got sick and tired of just replacing them, the lever arches here seemed very good quality and nicer than the Whsmith ones as well as being cheaper too at £3 each.
The prices seemed cheaper especially for folders, meanwhile Ryman charge £3.99 and Whsmith charge £4.99, who all have stores nearby, but it is worth nothing Whsmith sell lower quality goods for higher prices and both stores mentioned have 3 for 2 deals.
This store is huge, even the first floor of three seemed really nice, with a great selection of all things stationary, mostly from the Paperchase brand, including nice, different size and color envelopes for gifts, they seemed to stock a few gifts, and cards which was good too.
The staff seemed nice at the till as well, and I was pleased with a selection of colors for the lever arch including a nice white one, I am yet to discover at either WHsmith or Ryman, who I normally buy folders from.
This is a nice store, and based on my first visit, I think it has done enough to deserve 4 stars and i am pleased to say this has set high expectations for the rest of the Paperchase brand, despite this being a flagship store for them in the North of England.

Craft Fashion
Sometimes I hate this place sometimes I love it but overall it’s nothing more than average in all aspects. Firstly I do love the design of the place since the refurbishment and mostly before that with their layered building. Its simple really if you care about how cool your pen looks stay on the bottom floor if you care about what the pen actually does you rise to the top.
This distinction via the shops levels helps keep you around the products you love and away from the products you’re bound to hate. The bottom floor is rife with worthless tate for the masses but at the end of day that’s what most buy. The top has a decent collection of professional art materials, fantastic for pro artists wanting to top up. I mention top up because it’s a hard sell as to why any pro would frequent this place in spite of Nothern Quarters Fred Aldous utterly superior collection.
Sometimes they offer workshops like the one I witnessed first hand of a Mother and Father helping their baby enjoy sponge painting. It was a very sweet moment watching the child explore its power to create colour with the slam of a sponge. Yet Paperchase seems so often hell bent on encouraging the opposite, driving towards crafts as fashionable paperweights. If Paperchase wants to differentiate itself from the masses it would be wonderful to see more promotion of the use of their materials rather than their fashion use.
Ps
The recent small café add-​on is a forgettable waste of space.

Lots of very over-​priced gimmicky stationary. I’m not quite sure I see the point of most of the items they sell. Everything appears to be reduced from a previous higher price but is still expensive. Perhaps a good place for an unusual or random gift. There’s also Tinderbox coffee shop on the upper floor.

A smörgåsbord of things you never knew you needed
This is a department store for a certain kind of stationery buff, someone who’s looking for seasonal changes in their stationery needs. And let’s face it, who doesn’t change their stationery every season? It’s got to match your shoes, your belt and your bag, right?
When it first opened, many, many years ago, it was at the very beginning of the Manchester renaissance, before the independent shops of the Northern Quarter, before Amazon, before
. Paperchase was a growing brand at the time and this was their flagship (even before the TCR store, I think): 2 and a ½ floors of stationery, gewgaws and gift stuff. And it’s never looked back since.
So you want a card for that special someone? Done. A last minute Secret Santa? Your wish is their command. Inappropriately large bits of wedding paraphernalia? They’ve got your number. Now that there’s also a Tinderbox café on the top floor, craft sessions on weekends and holidays, and the loveliest staff this side of a place with very nice staff, you have no excuse to not surround yourself with pretty things.

Holy stationery Batman! I have never seen a Paperchase this big! I love stationery, office supplies, crafting stuff… so this was right up my alley. The ground floor is kind of what you expect from Paperchase… the different themes of journals, cards, paper, pens, pencil cases, frames, and even the packed lunch accessories. Never quite understood the packed lunch accessories and how they fit into the stationery scheme, but maybe I’m just jealous that I haven’t had a cute collection to pack my lunch in.
I used to do a lot of letter writing and a store like this would have come in really handy! These days sending snail mail tends to be a special occasion sort of thing, so I don’t usually need the boxed sets. I do like their selection of notebooks and diaries as that tends to be what I use the most. I may like to spend a lot of time with the pens though :) Yes, I am a pen snob, mostly because as a lefty, some pens don’t work quite the same as they do for righties so I have to try my pens out before purchasing. I have to say I have had good luck with their pens, so I keep coming back.
Moving to the next floor, you’ll find decorations and greeting cards. There were a number of wedding decoration displays, including books on DIY Wedding Décor, invitations, guest books, scrap books, bunting, and even glass bottles for favors. I found a cute wooden cut out of ‘Mr&Mrs’ that may be used for next year’s wedding do in the U.S. I was half anticipating it to be a bit expensive because I sometimes find their stationery a bit on the expensive side, but it was only £8! On the other side of the floor they had decorations and things for baby showers.
On the top floor, you’ll find some of their more expensive gifts, bolts of paper, paints, and even a café! I had absolutely no clue there was a café inside! I didn’t try it, but it is more incentive to buy some stationery, head upstairs, and write in the café! They also had some printed wrapping paper, however, I would be tempted to frame some of it, like the maps. I wished I had had more time to wander through the store, but I was on a mission and stationery and decorations were not part of that mission, but I guess I will just have to come back!

What an amazing place Paperchase is!!! I had never been in before and it was like an Aladdin’s cave, super amazing crafts and a gorgeous espresso bar on the top floor.
They sell awesome greetings cards, picture frames, notebooks to every coloured paper you could think of. It is set over 3 levels with hundreds of different things to browse through. Another great asset of this place are the staff, they are super friendly and fun! We was looking for a nice cool poster and a frame for our apartment and found two awesome retro posters which look really cool!!!

I had never set foot in a Paperchase store until very recently, mainly because I hadn’t needed to plan a wedding until very recently, but I’d clearly been missing out — what an awesome shop!
Whether you’re looking for a new notebook or diary with a cute/​fancy cover, a birthday card for a loved one, arty/​crafty materials, a new pen, a book about photography or a stylish photo frame, Paperchase’s vast selection will not disappoint.
I’ve been in this branch of Paperchase several times now, seeking out the perfect materials for making our wedding stationery — there are so many different types of paper and card to choose from upstairs, it can be half an hour+ before I’ve decided what to buy.
Staff are friendly and happy to offer their assistance, plus I got 15% off my next purchase the first time I bought something (a wedding planning scrapbook and wedding list book, yes I’m in danger of becoming Bridezilla).
I will warn you though, things aren’t cheap and you can probably get similar things from WH Smith but I guarantee they won’t be as well designed and the paper won’t be of the same quality. You get what you pay for, after all.
I’m marrying a man but if I could marry a shop, it would have to be Paperchase.

When shopping for wrapping paper with a difference, I just had to come to Paperchase. It also appears to be one of the only places in town stocking both Christmas and birthday paper — damn both me and the other half having December birthdays!
Despite my qualms with the gift selection, I couldn’t help but have a look around. The queue wasn’t getting any smaller, so why not? There are plenty of Christmas goodies alongside the usual characters, with one quite small section ‘for men.’ Although small, this is probably my favourite section, with some great cuff links and hip-​flasks. Very sophisticated.
Due to the maddening Christmas shoppers, there was someone directing people to the next available till and ensuring everyone knew where to be, which definitely helped the usually awful system. The girl behind the counter was nice, even when there was an issue with my card — her manager on the other hand was a touch stand offish and had very little patience.
On the whole, a-​ok.

Let’s get one thing straight first. I love stationery. I enjoy stationery I don’t even need. If I have to do a lot of writing, I prefer tipped pens as opposed to ballpoint, in as vast a variety of colours as possible. Now, we all know we can get multipacks of these at the local supermarket or pound shop, but it just doesn’t feel quite the same as purchasing something from the bevy of office supply loveliness that is Paperchase.
One thing you’ll always notice when standing outside this humongous, triple-​floor branch in the centre of Manchester is not the Big Issue seller, although that might make you feel a little guilty for overspending on that eraser shaped like a flower or that Dalmatian print stapler. No, the biggest wow factor is the window display. They darn well make the most of it. And it’s seasonal too, whether it’s that phrase that strikes fear and depression into the hearts of children between the ages of five and sixteen and teachers everywhere, ‘Back to School’, or Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day… Paperchase will always via the medium of magical window dressing find a reason for you to buy stationery. I’d seriously recommend this branch over any of the weeny little concessions in Kendal’s or Selfridges. You’ve got way more choice.
But this isn’t just a place for quirky little diaries, fluorescent pink post-​its, pencils in every colour of the rainbow, stickers, iPod covers, damask wrapping paper, furry pencil cases and heart-​shaped calculators. There’s so much more. It has one of the biggest and best greeting card selections I’ve ever seen. There are gifts aplenty for the friend who has everything. There are home storage solutions. Pretty boxes. Lunchboxes. Tupperware. You can even buy pet supplies. Little random toys for stocking fillers. Toddle on up the stairs and find an entire floor dedicated to art supplies. There’s even furniture, clocks, mirrors… I could go on. But I won’t.
Go see for yourself. I’m telling you, you’ll walk in with the aim of buying a simple mobile phone cradle for your office desk and you’ll come away with five different photo frames in five different shapes. You have been warned…

I have spent a disordinate amount of time in Paperchase thumbing through beautifully bound diaries or testing out pens. I love everything about the place but the price, but for the sheer amount of joy and entertainment I find in looking at colourful bits of paper, matching sets of pencils or cutsie novelty items I think the pricing works out quite well in the end.
The Market Street store is a particularly lovely one as it is well spaced across a couple of floors and has helpful and friendly staff.

Eeeeek!
Come here with money and an eye on your purse because YOU WILL WANT EVERYTHING IN THIS STORE!
Brainwashed now? =D
I love the cute little designs and patterns to all the stationery products in this place and it gives you an excuse to look like the coolest person ever at work, home, uni, college or school.
However, if you’re in need of an art and craft supply and you can’t make it quickly to the Northern Quarter, this is your place.

Cool shop with lots of cool and trendy things to buy. They are really good for cards and have some good stationary as lots of other things. It is fairly pricey but good for gifts or if your after something a bit quirky

Being an unabashed stationary junkie, I’ve always had a very soft spot in my heart for Paperchase. I could (and indeed have) spent hours here swooning over notepads, perving over pens and choosing just the right humorous card for a special occasion.
This branch of Paperchase is alarmingly large, being spread out over three relatively big floors. This means that if you’re not great at self control, you can very easily get carried away and chuck lots of overpriced arts materials into your bag with abandon, only realising when you get to the cashier that you may have accidentally bankrupted yourself. I’m sure I’m not the only one who will tell you that whilst the products on sale here are very high quality, they are pricey — so watch out if you’re shopping on a budget.
A friend of mine once said that stepping in here is like walking into Howard Moon from The Mighty Boosh’s stationary village, and they have a point. If Paperchase ever find themselves being left out of pocket by the recession, might I recommend that they make their very own railway system out of blue tak and paperclips?
Paperchase is a true artistic wonderland — and should be a mecca for anyone of a creative bent. Just be sure not to get too carried away when you see how many different colours of felt tip they stock — that way lies madness.

Totally flicking the winner at Paperchase. Completely, absolutely, wholly, soully, in love with the place. Not exaggerating but may be going overboard over stationery and cards. Sorry, pretty passionate about this.
When I first moved to Manchester I discovered Paperchase and a lot of hours of my life went down the pan, for a good cause I hasten to add. There’s a pattern and design for absolutely everything. Cards, gifts, stationery, crafts. Come those special times during the year I look forward to a good snoop around the place. It’s so beautiful. I look forward to picking out the perfect card and gift wrap. It makes me feel warm inside thinking about it.
There’s three floors of genius at this Paperchase. Be prepared to be blown away and spend all your spare cash on pretty things.

This place deserves more than 5 stars! It is probably the only place in the whole city which is so dearly dedicated to beautiful stationary and pretty, cute little things. In my definations, I would like to call all the cute small things which actually have no use in your life, but you would still spend for them in a moment’s notice– Thingy-​majis. I may have heard this word during my little days, never mind.
So Paperchase, is the world of lovely stationary, think pretty inscribed papers, beautiful boxes, funky sketchbooks and lots and lots of well-​binded notebooks! It’s a beautiful place with many fun joke props as well to have some laughs!
They also sell travel books, dream books, wish books and many such things just in amazing covers and empty pages waiting to be filled with your skills whether good or bad, it stays in this evelope of beauty. They also sell the most voracious gift wrapping equipment and you can never go wrong with gifting in here!
So it’s all great and good here and with my secret relationship with stationary, this is definitely one of our hot spots to blossom!

Paperchase is your stationery haven. Whether you need pens, calendars, notepads, sketchbooks, or organisers, you are sure to find here whatever your heart desires. They stock a great collection of Filofax fillers, for all of us who need them.
However, it doesn’t end here. On the very top floor they sell everything an artist’s heart may desire, from canvasses and paints to storage and decorative paper. And on the first floor you will be sure to find an ideal gift with a twist. Whether it is a scented candle, or fancy gift box, or leather bag, or a book on art, it is unlikely that you will leave with nothing.
And of course, they stock a great range of wrapping papers, gift bags, and postcards. Never think, therefore, that Paperchase is just about pens and notebooks. There is more to it… including the clocks, by the way!

Paperchase is the favourite shop of my girlfriend. She loves it in here because there’s basically lots of pretty things. Lots of pretty paper. Pretty ribbon to put around the pretty wrapping paper. Pretty pretty pretty.
Personally, I don’t really get it. Its wrapping paper can be nice and shiny but then it’s also quite expensive at a good £3 a roll. You can definitely find cheaper prices elsewhere.
But at the same time, I have picked up some pretty good gifts from here and it’s worth popping in if you’re stuck for present ideas and just need a cool little notebook or trinket.

Now January has started it’s only a matter of days before retailers swap their discounted Christmas cards for Valentine’s Day cards!
One of the best places to go looking for cool cards and wrapping paper is Paperchase. They stock sweet, witty, playful and kitsch cards from a variety of designers and a brilliant array of notebooks, journals, address books, recipe cards, pens and stationary.
This being their biggest store in the North West, there’s also good quality paints, pastels, paper, card and brushes for artists upstairs. Before you get too carried away and fill your basket full of goodies — check out the prices as some of the Japanese papers and pastels are pretty steep.

I have to agree with Rachel here, Paperchase is amazing!!!
It’s not just the stationary, which is fantastic, I have tons of pretty little notebooks that are so cute I don’t even want to use them! They sell tons of other stuff too including amazing Christmas decorations! Just been there today and I feel all Christmassy and happy now!
They also do a huge range of cards and wrapping paper which I absolutely adore. The cards are really different and really pretty and the wrapping paper is the sort of stuff your mum would go mad for! My mum does anyway!
It’s not cheap but you wouldn’t expect it to be either! I definitely recommend the diaries, a good Christmas present idea!!!

If you like originality and top quality stationary, then Paperchase is the store for you!
Known for its fresh and appealing products, the store has expanded all over the world to all stationary lovers.
It is a quirky and imaginative business with products ranging from diaries all the way to ipod skins.
They have matching themes which cover bags, books, umbrellas, stickers, pens, pencil cases and so on so that all you stationary matches and is perfectly coordinated.
All needs are catered for such as art students who get discount, students who are returning to school and everyone else! They provide original greeting cards and gifts for your stationary friends.
Don’t worry if you can’t get to one of the many stores you can shop on-​line at their website or even on Amazon.
So when the time comes when you need new diaries or school supplies, try Paperchase for rare products that will make any person jealous!