We started from nothing during Covid pandemic - now we're working with MTV and opening at Manchester Airport
The Sculpts, a producer of handmade decorative homeware and souvenirs, can now be found in Terminal 1 as of Monday. The business was only started in 2020 during the pandemic and this will be their second dedicated store.
Mancunian and proud, The Sculpts is offering visitors the chance to “take a piece of the city home with them” with souvenirs made in and inspired by the city. Products include greetings cards, prints, textiles, mugs, and the business’ signature ‘alphabet tiles’ – with each letter accompanied by a hand-drawn illustration of a part of Manchester’s heritage, from the worker bee to Stephenson’s Rocket and Factory Records.
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Jade King, managing director, said: “We’re so excited to be able to offer travellers through Manchester the chance to take home a beautiful reminder of our great city. We’ve captured the history and heritage of Manchester on exclusive artwork, homeware and luxury gifts that celebrate the spirit of the city - a melting pot of music, history and style.
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“We send lots of our work abroad, whether to Mancunians living in other countries, or tourists who’ve visited the city, so opening at Manchester Airport is a natural progression for us and a great opportunity to showcase our city to the world.”
The Sculpts started trading as an online retailer and opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in Sale last year having branched out from online to outdoor markets - opening a pop-up stand in John Lewis over Christmas in 2021 and 2022 and taking up permanent residence at Altrincham Market.
Some of Manchester’s best-loved cultural institutions now stock the company’s products in their gift shops, including Manchester City Art Gallery, John Rylands Library, the National Football Museum, and Whitworth Gallery. This year, The Sculpts are collaborating with MTV to create an exclusive design for more than 100 world-famous music artists performing at the Europe Music Awards at Co-op Live in November.
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