Milly Mog

Where is it?
Milly Mog
238, Burton Road
West Didsbury
Manchester
Tel: 0161 438 0300
www.millymog.com – launching soon
Twitter @milly_mog

Opening hours:
Monday – Wednesday 11am – 5pm
Thursday – Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 12 – 4pm

History:
Milly Mog is a mere kitten in the retail world, having only opened its doors in November 2010. The owner, Emma Matthews, however has a wealth of experience through previous employment at JD Sports where she was womenswear buying director. She also has hands-on experience at home as mum to her 9-year-old and 6-month-old children.As a student in Manchester, Emma lived in West Didsbury so knows the area well.

“I loved it here and vowed that one day I would open a shop on Burton Road” she said.

The result is a stunning, immaculately presented shop where obvious care and attention has been taken to even the smallest detail.

What do they sell?
The shop sells clothes for ages 0 – 8 years and gifts for babies, toddlers and young children. Emma sources her stock from trade shows in Copenhagen and London. She’s particularly keen on Scandinavian brands such as the Danish labels Molo and Popupshop.

There is also a strong emphasis on footwear with brands such as Ugg, Converse, Birkenstock adorning the shelves with Hunter wellies walking their way onto the shop floor in March. Vans and Toms Espadrilles will be appearing in spring.

For babies, there are colourful baby grows in funky designs and the beautiful, celebrity-endorsed baby changing bags from Pink Lining. Gifts have been hugely successful with craft kits, knitted toys and gorgeous retro lunch boxes and matching flasks.

Who shops there?
The customers in this shop are, according to Emma, “Manchester faithfuls. They’re parents who used to live in the city centre and have since migrated out to the suburbs. Hacienda fans of yesteryear. They want something different, something edgy’.

As a result the clothes are cool and quirky - skinny jeans, T-shirts and Converse for the older kids. Emma says ‘our best selling line is our Amplified T-shirts featuring Manchester’s Stone Roses (available in sizes 6m – 8 years), they fly out the door’

Why go there?
If you find children’s high street attire a bit mundane and predictable, then Milly Mog is a definite alternative. They offer fun, trendy and quirky kidswear that will please even the most fashion conscious parents.

Customer service is of great importance. Emma prides herself on this aspect, offering gift wrapping and home deliveries for customers who, for whatever reason, can’t make it to the shop.

Future:
Emma is happy with the response so far. “It’s really early days for us but so far we have had a great reaction from our customers, everyone loves the shop. We are always open to new ideas and suggestions.”

For the coming months Emma will be bringing in new clothing brands such as Phister and Philina and Elephantino and plans to expand the shoe department to offer a back to school range. This will include after school fittings and late night shopping times - all with the busy parent in mind.

The website will also be launching very soon.

Verdict
This is a welcome asset to Burton Road, complementing its neighbouring shop, Bellybutton. Great for parents who want to find something a little different for their kids, whilst keeping in line with their own style. Cool kids need only apply.