Baines (Claremont Rd, Rusholme)

For me, the real clothes shops for "yer urban mod" were the local stores that tried their best to match the fashions - while really only being interested in workwear and school uniforms.

Moss Side/Rusholme guys went to Baines on Claremont Road - probably started there by getting school pants and a cap, then progressed to fashion and then workwear, all from same shop.

I remember buying hipster pants, cord jackets, a reefer jacket, a Dave Clark Five shirt, cravats and a matelot t-shirt from there (thats the ones that were bold blue and white horizontal stripes).

Oh and the reefer jacket I cherished so much came from there as well. It had thick buttons on with anchors.

My coolest outfit, possibly 65/66 was a brown cord jacket, brown cord trousers, a cravat and cotton check (as in cowboy/lumberjack) shirt. Geez I was cool and all from Baines.

I think I got my pac-a-mac from there. Now, they were cool.

I remember going back to Manchester many years later and the shop had swapped sides but it was still Baines. Fond memories - great shop. Small shops like this had a great atmosphere - I am sure no one will remember the atmosphere of shopping at Matelan.

Or the HUGE (well it seemed huge to me) jeans store on Princess Road, next to the Wycliffe Cinema and near the Nile. Got my Wranglers there about 1966 for three pounds twelve and six. Good place for Ben Sherman shirts as well. Opposite the Sports Depot, my fav shop for years as a kid. Now thats a whole new set of memories.

And what was the shop on the corner of Stockport Road and Kirkmanshulme Lane - was it Artizan (thanks Steve)? Great shop - great gear - lots of hipsters and striped tops.

In town, and around 1969, I used to go to the second hand clothes shop near the George Best hairdressers - The Village Shop? It was down some stairs and quite small. Second hand crushed velvet trousers with rips in the bum, and a fur coat. I looked so cool.

Paul (webmaster)